Exploring Chicken Feathers as a Cost-Effective Adsorbent for Aqueous Dye Removal

Abstract

This study explored the use of chicken feathers, a low-cost and abundant agricultural byproduct, as a sorbent for the removal of reactive yellow dye from aqueous solutions. The dual potential of feathers as both adsorbents and sorbents, attributed to their keratin-rich structure, was utilized to investigate their effectiveness in dye removal. Feathers, activated with 1.0 mol/L HCl, exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity at 70 °C and pH 5.5, as determined from Langmuir isotherm modeling. A 22 central composite rotatable design revealed that temperature and pH significantly influence the adsorption efficiency, with higher temperatures favoring the process. Kinetic studies demonstrated pseudo-first-order behavior, with rapid initial adsorption reaching equilibrium within 120 min. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the endothermic nature of the process (ΔH° = 28.04 kJ mol−1), a positive entropy change (ΔS° = 66.62 J/mol·K), and a reduction in Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) with increasing temperature, suggesting enhanced feasibility at elevated temperatures. This research highlights the potential of utilizing poultry industry residues as sustainable and efficient sorbents for environmental remediation, contributing to waste valorization and eco-friendly wastewater treatment solutions.