Removal of Rhodamine B from aqueous solution by stalk corn activated carbon: adsorption and kinetic study

Abstract

Dye-containing wastewaters impose a serious threat to the environment. Adsorption is useful approach for decontamination of contaminated media. In this study, activated carbon prepared from stalk corn (namely SCBAC) was used for removal of Rhodamine B (RhB) from aqueous solution. The effect of pH (3–11), adsorbent dosage (0.5–2.5 g L−1), initial dye concentration (10–50 mg L−1), and contact time (30–110 min) was evaluated for RhB adsorption on SCBAC. In addition, the adsorption equilibrium was demonstrated with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Obtained results showed that the optimum pH and adsorbent dosage were 3 and 2.5 g L−1, respectively. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted well with the experimental adsorption data. The maximum adsorption capacity attained was 5.6 mg g−1. Adsorption of RhB onto adsorbent followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Prepared SCBAC showed that can be utilized as economical and effective adsorbent for the adsorption of dyeing pollutants, like RB, from aqueous solutions. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.