THE REMOVAL OF METHYLENE BLUE DYE AS ORGANIC POLLUTANT FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS BY USING SOME LOW COST NATURAL MATERIALS

Amr
M.A. Al–Nagaawy

Limnology department, Central Laboratory
for
Aquaculture Research, Agricultural Research Center,
Egypt.

Received 10/ 1/ 2016

Accepted 6/ 3/ 2016

Abstract

Rice straw as a low cost by-product and hen egg shell as a natural waste were investigated for their efficiency toward removing methylene blue
(cationic dye)
as
an organic pollutant, from aqueous solutions. The effect of contacting period between the investigated adsorbents and the experimental dye, as well as adsorbents dosage and initial dye concentration were examined for the highest removal efficiency percentage. Obtained results revealed that the optimum contacting periods for rice straw (RS) and egg shell powder (ESP) were 100 and 15 minutes respectively. Obtained results indicated that 1.5 g/l of RS and 1 g/l of ESP were the optimum dosages. At the end of the study, it’s obtained that as the initial dye concentration increase the amount of MB adsorbed per the unit weight of the adsorbent was decreased. The equilibrium adsorption behavior was examined by applying Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models.     The Langmuir isotherm parameters X m and K l and the Freundlich isotherm parameters K f and n were determined from the adsorption equilibrium data for the various samples. Correlation coefficients were also determined. Obtained results revealed that the equilibrium adsorption data fitted well to the two models. Obtained results and their statistical manipulation proved that both RS and ESP could be potentially considered for removing MB dye from its aqueous solution.