CTAB Surfactant Promotes Rapid, Efficient, and Simultaneous Removal of Cationic and Anionic Dyes through Adsorption on Glycerol/Citrate Polyester

Abstract

The discharge of dye waste by industries has caused environmental impacts on water properties, aquatic species, and human life. The production of eco-friendly materials for dye removal from wastewater has gained increasing interest, particularly through adsorption, as it is an efficient method for removing pollutants. However, the selectivity and limited adsorption capacity of materials for simultaneously adsorbing cationic and anionic dyes make it challenging to address the prevailing dye effluent issue. In this work, a poly(glycerol citrate) polyester was prepared without a solvent, using microwave heating, and was combined with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to modulate the simultaneous adsorption of cationic (Rhodamine B, RB) and anionic dyes (acid blue 113, AB and acid red 27, AR). The formation of the polyester was successfully confirmed by ATR-FTIR and the thermal properties were evaluated by TGA and DCS. In the presence of CTAB 5 mM, the material removes almost 100% of the dyes, reaching the kinetics equilibrium in 30 min following the Pseudo-second order model. Additionally, dye adsorption on the polyester in the presence of CTAB was described by the Freundlich isotherm model, indicating a heterogeneous polyester surface that promotes a multi-layer adsorption driven by electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonds. The material showed an adsorption capacity of 73.7 ± 3.2, 82.1 ± 4.4, and 21.2 ± 0.6 mg/g for RB, AB, and AR, respectively. Our results provide evidence that the poly(glycerol citrate)/CTAB has a higher potential for application in wastewater treatment to remove both anionic and cationic dyes.