Treatment of Dyes Contaminated Water Using Biochar Derived from Eucalyptus Wood Waste

Abstract

In the present study, water-soluble dyes like methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV) were extracted from aqueous solutions utilizing eucalyptus wood biochar (EWB) produced from eucalyptus wood waste (EWW). EWW was carbonized at 450 oC to form EWB, which was then activated by the addition of zinc chloride (ZnCl2). Characterizations of the EWB were done using scanning electron micrograph (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and surface area studies. Optimized conditions resulted in a maximum adsorption of MB of 14.42 mg/g and CV of 12.95 mg/g over EWB. Adsorption of both dyes on EWB was shown to follow the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and occurred through pseudo 2nd order kinetics, according to kinetic and isotherm studies. According to several thermodynamic parameters, such as ∆Go, ∆Ho, and ∆So, the adsorption of dyes onto EWB was an endothermic and spontaneous process. The results of the study suggest that EWB might be a useful adsorbent for removing MB and CV from wastewater.