Comparison of optimised isotherm models for basic dye adsorption by kudzu.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Water Treatment Technologies

Background:

• Industrial wastewater often contains persistent basic dyes like Basic Yellow 21 and Basic Red 22.
• Conventional treatment methods can be expensive or inefficient for complete dye removal.
• Exploring low-cost, sustainable adsorbents is crucial for effective wastewater remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate dried kudzu (Peuraria lobata ohwi) as a potential adsorbent for removing Basic Yellow 21 and Basic Red 22 from aqueous solutions.
• To compare the adsorption performance of kudzu with commercial activated carbon (Chemviron F-400).
• To analyze adsorption isotherm data using various models to understand the dye-adsorbent interactions.

Main Methods:

• Drying kudzu to 5% moisture content for use as an adsorbent.
• Conducting equilibrium sorption isotherm studies for single-component dye systems.
• Analyzing experimental data using Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Temkin, and Toth isotherm equations.
• Performing error analysis to determine the best-fit isotherm parameters.
• Comparing kudzu's performance against activated carbon.

Main Results:

• Equilibrium adsorption was achieved after 21 days.
• Kudzu demonstrated effectiveness in removing basic dye color from aqueous solutions.
• Adsorption isotherm data were fitted to multiple models, with error analysis guiding parameter selection.
• Kudzu's dye adsorption capacity was lower than that of activated carbon (Chemviron F-400).

Conclusions:

• Dried kudzu is a viable, low-cost adsorbent for removing basic dyes from wastewater.
• Kudzu presents a potential alternative to activated carbon, especially in cost-sensitive applications.
• Further research may optimize kudzu's application for enhanced dye removal efficiency.