Adsorptive properties of molasses modified boron enrichment waste based nanoclay for removal of basic dyes

In this study, the removal of cationic dyes, Basic Red 46 (BR46) and Basic Blue 41 (BB41), from aqueous solution using boron enrichment waste (BW) and molasses modified boron enrichment waste (MBW) based nanoclays was presented in a batch system and fixed-bed column system. The effects of pH, contact time, initial solution concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature of batch operation on the uptake of both dyes were investigated. The adsorption data were further performed on the basis of kinetic and isotherm models. According to the results, the dye removal capacity of MBW was higher than that of BW. The studies demonstrated that the adsorption patterns occurred according to Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption of two dyes is spontaneous and exothermic in nature. Breakthrough curves obtained from fixed-bed column tests showed that column adsorption capacities provided strong evidence of the potential of the nanoclay for the technological applications of the basic dyes removal from aqueous solutions. © 2015 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry