Powdered adsorbent obtained from bathurst burr biomass for methylene blue removal from aqueous solutions

Abstract

Powdered adsorbent obtained from bathurst burr biomass was tested for methylene blue removal from aqueous solutions. SEM and FTIR analyses were used to characterize the adsorbent before and after adsorption. The influence of contact time, adsorbent dose, pH, initial dye concentration, ionic strength and temperature on the process were investigated. Kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies were conducted to analyse the process. The Taguchi method was used to establish the most suitable conditions for the dye adsorption. The process is spontaneous, favourable, and exothermic and the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model best describe it. The Taguchi method indicate that the ionic strength is the factor with the greatest influence on the adsorption process.