Removal of Dyes from the Textile Industry by Adsorption in Fixed Bed Columns: A Sustainable Process

Abstract

The capacity and mechanism of mono and bi-functional reactive dye adsorption utilizing a new adsorbent obtained from the dried residual sludge (~10% w.w.) of a textile wastewater treatment system was studied. With the focus on determining the efficiency of the adsorbent in the dye removal, the adsorption isotherms were determined for the reactive dyes RR2 and RR141, at different temperatures and salt concentrations. The experiments were carried out in fixed bed adsorption columns, which were defined as the best adsorption experimental condition for both of the dyes through the parameter qm (mg/g), obtained by the adjustment of Langmuir isotherms. Breakthrough curves for the dyes RR2 and RR141 were obtained varying the height to which the fixed bed columns were packed with adsorbent (15, 30 and 45 cm) and varying the adsorbate feed rate in the column (8, 12 and 16 ml/min). For the dye RR2 the maximum adsorption capacity was 53.48 mg/g and for the dye RR141 it was 78.74 mg/g.