Revolutionizing dye removal from wastewater using low-cost natural material

Abstract

The contamination of wastewater by textile dyes has emerged as a significant and pressing environmental concern that requires immediate attention and the development of inventive solutions. One highly effective technique for addressing this issue involves using adsorption processes with nanoparticles for dye removal. To address this challenge, white stone powder (WSP) and calcined white stone powder (CWSP) were prepared for their potential in adsorbing and removing dyes from wastewater. The effect of pH, dosage, contact time, initial dye concentrations, and temperature were optimized during the present study. Furthermore, the equilibrium data for the WSP were subjected to rigorous analysis using multiple isothermal models, including the Freundlich, Langmuir, Dubinin Radushkevich, Harkin Jura, and Temkin models. A comparison of calculated and experimental uptake capacities and higher values of the correlation coefficient indicated that the Freundlich model fited better than the other models. In addition to the isothermal modeling, the morphology of the adsorbent materials was examined. The dye uptake capacity (mg/g) of white stone powder was 72.24 which increased up to 92.56 after calcination. This research work highlighted the potential of the calcined WSP as a cost-effective and efficient alternative for removing dyes from wastewater, presenting a promising solution to this pressing environmental issue.