Abstract
Corn stalks (CS) were modified by a cationic surfactant, cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB), and used as an adsorbent (CS-CP) to remove anionic dyes [Acid Red (AR) and Acid Orange (AO)] from aqueous solutions. The FTIR analysis and the obtained calculations based on the determination of the adsorption capacity of CS towards CPB confirmed that the cationic surfactant had been adsorbed on the surface of corn stalks. Adsorption of the anionic dyes on modified corn stalks was investigated in a series of batch adsorption experiments at 303–328 K. The adsorption data were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin models. The Langmuir model was found to be more suitable for the experimental data of the anionic dyes on CS-CP than other adsorption models. Kinetic studies revealed that the pseudo-second order model showed the best fit to the experimental data. The thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. Mechanisms involving ion exchange and chemisorption might be responsible for the uptake of the anionic dyes on CS-CP. Obtained results imply that CS-CP could be applied as an effective adsorbent to remove anionic dyes from aqueous solutions.
Highlights
Various kinds of synthetic dyes have been widely used in different industries, to color their products [1,2,3,4]
According to Zaharia and Suteu [3], 10–25% of textile dyes are lost during the dyeing process, and 2–20% of textile dyes are directly discharged as aqueous effluents in different environmental components that can lead to serious environmental problems
Our preliminary studies have shown that treatment of the corn stalks by alkaline solution increased adsorption of cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) about 1.6 times with respect to the case without this treatment
Summary
Various kinds of synthetic dyes (anionic, cationic, and non-ionic) have been widely used in different industries (textile, paper and pulp, leather, fur, printing, rubber, plastics, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food), to color their products [1,2,3,4]. Among these industries, the textile industry ranks first in usage of anionic dyes and generates a large volume of colored wastewater that emanates from the spent dye bathes and washing stages. Our preliminary studies have shown that treatment of the corn stalks by alkaline solution increased adsorption of CPB about 1.6 times with respect to the case without this treatment.
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