Removal of Orange II by Phosphonium-modified Algerian Bentonites

Abstract

An Algerian montmorillonite was modified with two organic surfactants, methyltriphenyl phosphonium bromide and n-hexyltriphenyl phosphonium bromide. The solids obtained were used as adsorbents to remove Orange II, an anionic dye from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of temperature (20–60°C), initial concentration of adsorbate (50–150 mg L−1) and pH of solution 6.5 on dye adsorption. Due to their organophilic nature, exchanged montmorillonites were able to adsorb Orange II at a very high level. Adsorption of Orange II for B-NHTPB and B-MTPB at different pH show that the adsorption capacity clearly decreases with an increase in pH of the initial solution from 2 to 8, this decrease being dramatic for pH > 8. This may be due to hydrophobic interactions of the organic dye with both phosphonium molecules and the remaining non-covered portion of siloxane surface. The kinetics of the adsorption was discussed on the basis of three kinetic models, i.e., the pseudo-first-order, the pseudo-second-order, and the intraparticle diffusion models. Equilibrium is reached after 30 min and 60 min for B-MTPB and B-NHTPB, respectively; the pseudo-second-order kinetic model described very well the adsorption of Orange II on modified bentonites. The non-linear Langmuir model provided the best correlation of experimental data, maximum adsorption of Orange II is 53.78 mg g−1 for B-NHTPB and 33.79 mg g−1 for B-MTPB. The thermodynamic parameters, such as free energy of adsorption (ΔG°), enthalpy change (ΔH°), and entropy change (ΔS°) were also determined and evaluated. From thermodynamic studies, it was deduced that the adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic.