Comparative study of ability of sonochemistry combined ZnS:Ni nanoparticles-loaded activated carbon in reductive of organic pollutants from environmental water samples

Abstract

Nickel-doped ZnS nanoparticle-loaded activated carbon applied for the simultaneous removal of sunset yellow (SY) and methylene blue (MB) from their aqueous solution. The under study adsorbent characterization and properties were identified and recognized via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), particle Size distribution (PSD) and point of zero charge (pHpzc). Detailed of dyes adsorption dependency to expected significant variable such as pH, adsorbent mass, SY concentration, MB concentration and sonication time in term of sole and combination part was checked by central composite design on their simultaneous removal percentages. The experimental results reveal that most effective parameter was sonication time. The predictive models and best performance were attributed to 16 mg.L−1, 6.0, 0.014 g and 4 min corresponding to the initial concentration of each dye, pH, adsorbent mass and sonication time, respectively, at which more than 98% of both dyes was adsorbed. The analysis of experimental equilibrium data by conventional approaches reveal better applicability of the Langmuir isotherm for fitting and explanation of experimental data. Meanwhile, the maximum ultrasound-assisted adsorption capacities for SY and MB were estimated to be 120.481 and 142.86 mg g−1, respectively. Besides, their adsorption described well correlated and represented by the pseudo-second-order model. At optimum conditions, where the ultrasound-assisted best adsorption method is highly superior to magnetic-stirring- and vortex-assisted methods in term of lower time and higher adsorption capacity.