Microwave and acid-modified talc for the adsorption of Methylene Blue in aqueous solution

Abstract

Batch adsorption experiments for the removal of Methylene Blue from aqueous solutions onto talcum powder were investigated using microwave- assisted and acetic acid-modified talcum powder. In batch adsorption experiments for the removal of Methylene Blue by the new sorbents, the influences of particle size of the talcum powder, the acid concentration, acidification time and temperature, and radiation time and power were investigated. The results showed that the efficiency for the removal of Methylene Blue was up to 83.03 % under the optimum conditions, namely, talcum powder of 10 ìm treated with 1.0 M acetic acid at 313 K for 9 h under 600 W microwave radiation for 5 min. The modified talcum powder was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The adsorptive capability of the adsorbent was greatly enhanced because of the active groups OH- and broken Si-O- and the cracks produced in the face of talcum powder on modification.