Removal of Reactive Blue 19 from simulated textile wastewater by Powdered Activated Carbon/Maghemite composite

Abstract

In the present study, Powder Activated Carbon/Maghemite composite (MPCs) was used as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of a textile dye 'Reactive Blue 19ʹ (RB19) from simulated textile wastewater containing auxiliary chemicals from textile production. The specific morphology, elemental analysis, specific surface area, identification of crystalline phases, magnetic specifications, and surface functional groups of the synthesized MPCs were investigated by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunaure–Emmett–Teller method (BET), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Magnetization Saturation Measurement and Fourier Transmission Infrared (FTIR), respectively. The effects of the initial dye concentration, temperature, pH, and the MPCs dosage on the adsorption process were investigated. 0.2 g MPCS was found to be sufficient for the removal of 50 mg/L RB19 with 99.93% removal efficiency. The thermodynamic analysis showed that the adsorption of the RB19 by MPCs was an endothermic process. Eleven adsorption isotherm models were tested to understand the adsorption mechanism. The Vieth-Sladek isotherm model described the adsorption process more effectively among the tested isotherms (R2 = 0.991, ERRSQ = 71.3, APE% = 0.172, X2 = 0.882). The maximum adsorption capacity of the composite was predicted to be 105.5 mg/g by the Vieth-Sladek isotherm.