Iron Nanoparticles (Fe3O4) Used to Synthesize Magnetic Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Beads for the Removal of Basic Blue 159 from Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

Dyes are a main source of pollutants in textile plant effluents. Due to their molecular structure, they are usually toxic, carcinogenous, and persistent in the environment. The aim of the present work was to explore the removal of basic blue159 (BB159) using magnetic sodium alginate hydrogel beads. Magnetic sodium alginate hydrogel beads were initially synthesized  accoriodng to Rocher method using CaCl2 as a crosslink agent. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was then employed to examine the functional groups on the surface of the magnetic sodium alginate hydrogel beads. In a third stage, the magnetic properties of the beads were measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and the magnetic parameters were calculated. Subsequently, the effects of such parameters as adsorbent dosage, pH, initial concentration of dye, and contact time were evaluated on the BB159 removal efficiency of the adsorbent used. Finally, the Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and B.E.T models were exploited to study the adsorption isotherm of BB159 onto the magnetic sodium alginate hydrogel beads. It was found that the magnetic sodium alginate beads possess both –COO and –OH groups that play important roles in the adsorption of the positively charged BB159 dye. A saturation magnetization equal to 21/8(emu/g) was obtained for the sodium alginate beads/nano Fe3O4. Results also revealed that the highest dye removal from aqueous solutions was achieved at pH=11 in 120 minutes for 9 grams of the adsorbent. The study indicated that BB159 removal using the magnetic sodium alginate hydrogel beads as the adsorbent obeys the Langmuir model. Moreover, it was shown that the efficiency of the process for BB159 removal from aqueous solutions was satisfactory (85%).