Removal of Aniline from Aqueous Solution using Pine Sawdust Modified with Citric Acid and β-Cyclodextrin

Abstract

Pine sawdust (PS) was modified with citric acid (CA) and β-cyclodextrin (CD) for aniline removal, and its adsorption properties were investigated using a batch and column experiment. On the basis of the Langmuir analysis, the maximum adsorption capacities were determined to be 16.3, 117.0, and 233.6 μmol g–1 of the base-treated PS, CA-modified PS, and CA+CD-modified PS, respectively, which showed that CA+CD-modified PS possesses the strongest adsorption ability for aniline because of the hydrogen bond interaction, hydrophobic interaction, and cyclodextrin inclusion. The adsorption capacities of aniline on modified PS increased with an increase in the ionic strength and changed little with an increase in pH from 5.0 to 10.0. The column experiment results showed that the space velocity strongly influenced the aniline uptake capacity. As modified PS is easily obtained and exhibits high adsorption capacity, it is a promising candidate for use in the removal of aniline from wastewater.