• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.208-217
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• 2011

The effects of pH and temperature on the removal of two dyes (neutral red; NR and malachite green oxalates; MG) from aqueous effluents using Maghnia montmorillonite clay in a batch adsorption process were investigated. The results showed the stability of the optical properties of MG in aqueous solution and adsorbed onto clay under wide range of pH 3-9. However, the interaction of NR dye with clay is accompanied by a red shift of the main absorption bands of monomer cations under pH range of 3-5, whereas, those of neutral form remains nearly constant over the pH range of 8-12. The optimal pH for favorable adsorption of the dyes, i.e. ${\geq}$90% has been achieved in aqueous solutions at 6 and 7 for NR and VM respectively. The most suitable adsorption temperatures were 298 and 318 K with maximum adsorption capacities of 465.13mg/g for NR and 459.89 mg/g for MG. The adsorption equilibrium results for both dyes follow Langmuir, Freundlich isotherms. The numerical values of the mean free energy $E_a$ of 4.472-5.559 kj/mol and 2.000-2.886 kj/mol for NR and MG respectively indicated physical adsorption. Various thermodynamic parameters, such as ${\Delta}H^{\circ}$, ${\Delta}S^{\circ}$, ${\Delta}G^{\circ}$ and Ea have been calculated. The data showed that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic. The sticking probability model was further used to assess the potential feasibility of the clay mineral as an alternative adsorbent for organic ion pollutants in aqueous solution.