A Use of Cedar Cone for the Removal of a Cationic Dye from Aqueous Solutions by Sorption

AbstractIn this study, cedar cone (CC), a forest waste, available in large quantity in Algeria, is proposed as novel material for the removal of basic dye Rhodamine B (RhB) from aqueous solutions. The effect of operating parameters such as the sorbent dose, initial dye concentration, stirring speed and solution temperature on the sorption kinetics of RhB was studied. The removal of RhB by sorbent increased with an increase in sorbent dose and initial concentration. Kinetic models, the pseudo-first and pseudo-second order rate equations were applied. The obtained results show that the sorption of RhB by CC was best described by the pseudo- second order kinetic model. Sorption equilibrium isotherms of RhB at different temperatures was determined and correlated with common isotherm equations such as Langmuir and Freundlich models. The results indicate that the Langmuir model fits the data better. The thermodynamic study of Rhb sorption by CC reveals that the sorption process is spontaneous(ΔG°<0) and endothermic (ΔH°>0).The low and positive value of ΔS° indicates that affinity of Rbh molecules to the sorbent surface