Adsorption Study of Methylene Blue and Eriochrome Black T Dyes on Activated Carbon and Magnetic Carbon Composite

Abstract

Dye is one of the dangerous contaminants because it can interfere with the health of living things and the environment. This research aims to study the comparison of adsorption capacity between activated carbon and its magnetic composite on methylene blue and eriochrome black T, as azo dyes, an organic compound contains a functional group of –N=N-, that are hardly to be degraded in the environment. The activated carbon used in this study was obtained commercially while the composite material was synthesized using activated carbon which was carried by iron species from a solution of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts. The variables studied in this research were contact periodic time and dye concentration. The adsorption process was evaluated using a kinetics and isotherm model. Furthermore, the characterization of the two adsorbents was conducted using Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The results of FTIR characterization show a functional group that indicates of the proper of magnetic carbon composite preparation as indicated at wave number from the vibration of Fe-O bonds. Adsorption result from activated carbon and magnetic carbon composite on both dyes followed the kinetics model pseudo-second order. Meanwhile, the isotherm adsorption model of the adsorbents against methylene blue follows the Langmuir and Freundlich equations for eriochrome black T.