The potential use of activated carbon prepared from Ziziphus species for removing dyes from waste waters

Abstract

Abstract In this study, the adsorption potential of activated carbon prepared from Ziziphus mauritiana nuts for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution has been investigated using batch mode experiments. The effects of some operating parameters on the removal dye such as, initial pH (2–12), temperature (298–328 K), initial MB concentration (20–100 mg L−1), and contact time (5–70 min) were investigated. Adsorption kinetic showed that the rate adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Four adsorption isotherms models were applied to experimental equilibrium data (Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich–Peterson, and Fritz–Schlunder) and the different constants were calculated using non-linear equations models. Fritz–Schlunder model was found the best one to describe the adsorption process which suggests that the adsorption of MB onto activated carbon derived from Ziziphus mauritiana is heterogeneous with a multilayer. Thermodynamic adsorption showed that the process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature.

Keywords

• Activated carbon
• Ziziphus mauritiana
• Adsorption
• Removal dye
• Kinetic and thermodynamic study