Solophenyl navy blue dye removal by smectite clay in a porous bed column

Abstract

Many studies have been reported whose objective has been the removal of effluent dyes from aqueous solution via adsorption methods. Among the adsorbents studied have been natural clays. The present study was aimed at evaluating smectite clay as a viable adsorbent for the removal of dyes from wastewater in industrial textile laundries. This clay is mainly composed of residue generated in the activities related to the exploration of gypsite which is abundantly available in the Araripe-PE region, located in Northeast Brazil.In the methodology chosen, a solution of the navy blue dye Solophenyl, which is the main dye employed in such laundries, was prepared with the following composition: 0.75 g dye + 11.25 g sodium chloride in 1000 mℓ of water. The clay (0.2 g quantity) was used in two forms: the natural extracted material and product obtained after its calcination at 300 °C. All assays were undertaken employing a porous bed column. The experimental data allowed an assessment of the kinetic behaviour of the dye, and of the removal capacity and removal efficiency of the examined clays. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained with smectite clay calcined at 300 °C, being 10.36 mg Solophenyl dye per gram clay at an output rate of 3 mℓ/min. The results were adjusted to the Logistic function model available in Origin 6.1 software, when an excellent correlation was obtained with the experimental adsorption data.