Efficient removal of methyl orange from aqueous solution using amidoxime adsorbent

ABSTRACT

The amidoxime adsorbent was prepared by radiation grafting of acrylonitrile on non-woven polyethylene followed by chemical treatment with hydroxyl amine hydrochloride. The prepared amidoxime adsorbent was used for adsorption of methyl orange (MO) from aqueous solution. The effect of different conditions such as contact time, pH and initial metal ion concentration on the adsorption capacity was investigated. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations were used to study the kinetic adsorption data. A Langmuir isotherm model was used to investigate the equilibrium experimental data. The monolayer saturation adsorption capacity of the adsorbent for MO, as determined from the Langmuir equation, was 142 mg/g of the adsorbent. Moreover, desorption and reuse of the adsorbent film showed satisfactory results. Large-scale recycling of the adsorbent will reduce the production cost, and thereby make the practical application of the adsorbent economically feasible.

Abbreviations: Acrylonitrile - AN, Polyethylene - PE, Methylene Orange - MO

KEYWORDS:

• Radiation
• acrylonitrile
• dye
• adsorbent
• isotherm
• kinetics

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge technical support from the IAEA to carry out the research. The authors would also like to convey special thanks to the Gamma Source Division of Institute of Food and Radiation Biology, Atomic Energy Research Establishment; and to the learned reviewer, and the encouraging Editor.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.