Cationic dye (methylene blue) removal from aqueous solution by montmorillonite

Abstract

Color impurity in industrial effluents pose a significant risk to human health and the environment, so much effort has been expended to degrade them using various methods, including the use of clay minerals as adsorbent. The purpose of this study was to advance understanding of the mechanisms for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions onto montmorillonite as an adsorbent. Preliminary experiments showed that montmorillonite was effective for this purpose and adsorption equilibrium could be reached in about 24 h. Adsorption capacity of the clay decreased with increase in temperature and ionic strength, and increased with in pH. The fitness of equilibrium data to common isotherm equations such as the Langmuir, Freundlich, Elovich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich were tested. The Langmuir equation fitted to equilibrium data better than all tested isotherm models. Thermodynamic activation parameters such as Delta G degrees, Delta S degrees and Delta H degrees were also calculated and results were evaluated. As result montmorillonite clay was found as effective low cost adsorbent for removal of cationic dyes from waste waters.