Author(s): Tan Kok Bing; Babak Salamatinia; Poh Phaik Eong
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Wastewater treatment; Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC); Methylene Blue (MB); Adsorption; Dye removal
Abstract: Exposure to Methylene Blue (MB) brings negative effects such as vomiting, diarrhea and tissue necrosis. Therefore, it is essential to develop an adsorbent which is low-cost, environmental- friendly and could rapidly adsorb MB dye wastewater. These criterions can be fulfilled by Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC). Therefore it was chosen as an adsorbent for the removal of MB cationic dye. MCC was characterized by FE-SEM, FTIR, BET and Zeta-potential measurements. Parameters including dye initial concentration, pH, contact time and MCC dosages were varied to investigate the percentage removal of MB dye. The optimum pH for removing MB dye was pH 5. 8. The shortest equilibrium time for maximum percentage removal was 3 minutes. The maximum adsorption capacity of MCC is 3. 93 mg/g of MB. This rapid adsorp tion is due to the electrostatic attraction between the cationic MB, and the MCC, which has negative zeta potential values at most of the pH values. Due to the fast adsorption rate, MCC is a potentially effective adsorbent for MB but further studies could be carried out to increase the adsorption capacity.
Year: 2013