Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions by Surface Modified Talc

In this study, raw talc powder surface modification was conducted, and the powder was modified in two different methods using acid washing and ball milling. Modified talc was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In order to investigate the adsorption capacity of modified talc on dyes, adsorption experiments were carried out with methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solutions as the target contaminant. The findings of the characterization revealed that both modifications increased the adsorption capacity of talc, which was attributed to changes in specific surface area and active groups. The influence of process parameters such as contact time, pH, dye concentration, and adsorbent dosage on the adsorption performance was systematically investigated. Modified talc was able to adsorb MB rapidly, reaching equilibrium within 60 min. Additionally, the adsorption performance was improved as the pH of the dye solution increased. The isotherms for MB adsorption by modified talc fitted well with the Langmuir model. The pseudo-second-order model in the adsorption kinetic model properly described the adsorption behavior. The results show that the modified talc can be used as an inexpensive and abundant candidate material for the adsorption of dyes in industrial wastewater.

Sequestration of Hazardous Dyes from Aqueous Solution Using Raw and Modified Agricultural Waste

The continuous degradation of surface water quality by dye materials is of concern globally. Agricultural waste Litchi chinensis (LC) peel in its raw (RL) and modified (CL) forms was used as potential sorbents for sequestration of Congo red (CR) dye from an aqueous solution. The sorbents were characterized before and after sorption with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Determination of the point of zero charge (PZC) suggested CR dye sorption from an aqueous solution would be best in acidic pH. Batch experimental drivers such as the effects of time, dosage, initial concentration, pH, and temperature were optimized and used. Results from the study showed that modification with citric acid (CA) reduced the equilibration time from 90 to 15 min. Change in water chemistry did not significantly affect the removal efficiency of the sorbent but rather slightly improved it for both sorbent types. The smaller particle size of <125 μm recorded higher removal efficiency than the larger one (>125 μm). The effect of temperature affects the sorption differently. For the RL system, it decreases with an increase in the temperature, while for the CL system it increases with an increase in temperature. The Langmuir isotherm best described the equilibrium data obtained based on the linearized coefficients with maximum sorption capacities ( $q_{\max }$ ) of 55.56 mg/g (RL) and 58.48 mg/g (CL). The pseudo-second-order model also best described the kinetic data. The thermodynamics study showed that the reaction is both feasible and spontaneous. Both sorbents recorded high removal efficiency for other dyes such as rhodamine B, methylene blue, methyl orange, malachite green, and erythrosin B. The five cycled regeneration/sorption experiments with 0.1 M NaOH as the desorbing agent showed that the regenerated sorbents efficiently removed CR dye from an aqueous solution close to their virgin samples for the first three cycles. This research, therefore, establishes LC peel as a potential eco-friendly, readily available, and effective sorbent for sequestration of hazardous dyes from wastewater.

Hierarchically 3-D Porous Structure of Silk Fibroin-Based Biocomposite Adsorbent for Water Pollutant Removal

This study explored the tunability of a 3-D porous network in a freeze-dried silk fibroin/soursop seed (SF:SS) polymer composite bioadsorbent. Morphological, physical, electronic, and thermal properties were assessed using scanning electron microscopy, the BET N2 adsorption-desorption test, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). A control mechanism of pore opening–closing by tuning the SS fraction in SF:SS composite was found. The porous formation is apparently due to the amount of phytic acid as a natural cross-linker in SS. The result reveals that a large pore radius is formed using only 20% wt of SS in the composite, i.e., SF:SS (4:1), and the fibrous network closes the pore when the SS fraction increases up to 50%, i.e., SF:SS (1:1). The SF:SS (4:1) with the best physical and thermal properties shows an average pore diameter of 39.19 nm, specific surface area of 19.47 m2·g−1, and thermal stability up to ~450 °C. The removal of the organic molecule and the heavy metal was assessed using crystal violet (CV) dye and the Cu2+ adsorption test, respectively. The adsorption isotherm of both CV and Cu2+ on SF:SS (4:1) follows the Freundlich model, and the adsorption kinetic of CV follows the pseudo-first-order model. The adsorption test indicates that physisorption dominates the adsorption of either CV or Cu2+ on the SF:SS composites.

Walnut shell powder as a low-cost adsorbent for methylene blue dye: isotherm, kinetics, thermodynamic, desorption and response surface methodology examinations

The low cost, eco-friendly and potential biomass, i.e. walnut (Juglans regia) shell powder was deployed for the removal of toxic methylene blue dye from contaminated water solution. The important characterization of the waste material was conducted by using several techniques, i.e. Scanning electron microscope, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, and Thermogravimetric analysis. The marked impact of various operating conditions, i.e. dose, concentration, time, pH and temperature on the adsorption process was investigated. Increasing pH resulted in an increase of percent dye adsorption, and the adsorption mechanism was occurred by electrostatic attraction between negative adsorbent surface and positive dye molecules. The equilibrium data suited with Langmuir isotherm model while the adsorption practice followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Higher temperature reduced the adsorption of dye molecules. The adsorption process was spontaneous, exothermic and chemical. The critical statistical analysis of the experimental results was directed by forming the design of the experiment, which was further, optimized by ANOVA, 3D and perturbation plots. The error and predicted values of both the studied responses as derived from the statistical model showed the agreeable results. 0.1 N HCl was found to be effective in complete desorption. The results are very practical and prove the effectiveness of walnut shell powder in the usage of decolorization for methylene blue.

Utilizations of agricultural waste as adsorbent for the removal of contaminants: A review

In recent years, various industrial activities have caused serious pollution to the environment. Due to the low operating costs and high flexibility, adsorption is considered as one of the most effective technologies for pollutant management. Agricultural waste has loose and porous structures, and contains functional groups such as the carboxyl group and hydroxyl group, so it can be invoked as biological adsorption material. Agricultural waste gets the advantages of a wide range of sources, low cost, and renewable. It has a good prospect for the comprehensive utilization of resources when used for environmental pollution control. This article summarized the current research status of agricultural waste in adsorbing pollutants, which pointed out the influencing factors of adsorption, expounded the adsorption mechanism of biological adsorption and introduced the related parameters of adsorption, proposed the application of adsorbents in engineering including adsorption in liquid and gas phases, at the same time it gave the future development prospect of agricultural waste as adsorbent.