Abstract
The present study investigates a fixed-bed column by using magnetite-rich clay from Cameroon as an adsorbent for the removal of the Eriochrome Black T (EBT) from aqueous solution. The effect of various parameters such as bed depths and EBT concentrations was investigated. The Adams–Bohart, Thomas and Yoon–Nelson models were applied to adsorption under varying experimental conditions to predict the breakthrough curves and to evaluate the model parameters of the fixed-bed column that can be useful for the process design. The column regeneration studies were carried out for three different sorption–desorption cycles using HCl or NaOH solution at 1 M. The 1 M HCl solution was found to have the best bed regeneration capacity and the fixed-bed could be reused for several sorption–desorption cycles. The elution efficiency of EBT, 75 mg L−1 was greater than 99.1% for all three cycles.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful suggestions to improving the initial manuscript.