ADSORPTION OF CATIONIC DYE METHYLENE BLUE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS ONTO BIOCHAR DERIVED FROM KINNOW (CITRUS RETICULATA BLANCO) PEELSHREYA PRAJESH AND SARITA JOSHIAbstract Extensive use of dyes in textile industries results in discharge of high amounts of pollutants in the water bodies. Biochar (BC) derived from Kinnow (Citrus reticulata Blanco) peels through Pyrolysis was employed as an alternative adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions in batch experiment system. The impact of different initial dye concentrations, contact time, adsorbent dose and pyrolysis temperature on adsorption were investigated keeping the solution pH 6 as constant. Adsorption capacity increased when dye concentration was increased from 50 mg/l to 100 mg/l with a decrease in removal efficiency to 37.79%. The biochar showed best removal upto 24 hours indicating equilibrium with a removal efficiency of 96.68%. Of the adsorbent doses, 0.6g was the most suitable one providing maximum adsorptive capacity as well as removal efficiency. The biochar was pyrolysed at 700 oC and 800 oC to study the effect of pyrolysis temperature on MB removal in which biochar having 800 oC as pyrolysis temperature provided higher adsorption of the dye. The present study suggests that the Kinnow peels may be used as an effective low cost adsorbent. |