Adsorption of Reactive Dyes on Activated Carbon Developed from Enteromorpha prolifera

Abstract

Activated carbon was prepared from Enteromorpha prolifera by zinc chloride activation. The adsorption behaviors\rof three reactive dyes (Reactive Red 23, Reactive Blue 171 and Reactive Blue 4)\ronto this biomass activated carbon were investigated in batch systems. The\rexperimental findings showed that the removal efficiencies of three dyes onto\ractivated carbon were maximum\rat the initial solution pH of 4.5 - 6.0. Thermodynamic studies suggested\rthat adsorption reaction was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Adsorption\risotherm of the three dyes obeyed Freundlich isotherm modal. Dye adsorption capacities of activated carbon were\r59.88, 71.94 and 131.93 mg·g?1 for RR23, RB171 and RB4 at 27?C, respectively. Second-order\rkinetic models fitted better to the equilibrium data of three dyes. The adsorption process on activated carbon\rwas mainly controlled by intraparticle diffusion mechanism.