Exploration of biosorption potential of forest industry by-product for removal of reactive dye from aqueous solution

Abstract

Natural sawdust of Calabrian pine was explored as low-cost industrial by-product for a hetero-bireactive dye removal from aqueous solution in this study. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of contact time and dye concentration on biosorption efficiency. Maximum biosorption amounts were achieved almost in the 20-30 min of contact for the studied dye range (50-200 mg l -1). An increase in the dye concentration resulted in decrease in the percent dye removal and increase in the biosorption capacity of biosorbent. Different kinetic and isotherm models were used to examine the biosorption experimental data for elucidating the dye removal mechanism. The equilibrium data were best represented by Freundlich isotherm model confirming multilayer coverage. The kinetics of dye biosorption best obeyed the pseudo-secondorder equation. The negative value of standard Gibbs free energy change (-3.61 kJ mol-1) indicated that physical forces were involved in the spontaneous dye biosorption. Thus, the sawdust as a possible non-conventional biosorbent presented an interesting option for bioremediation of contaminated environments by such unsafe dyes.