Comparison of Activated Carbon, Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes, and Cadmium Hydroxide Nanowire Loaded on Activated Carbon as Adsorbents for Kinetic and Equilibrium Study of Removal of Safranine O

ABSTRACT

Activated carbon (AC), multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and cadmium hydroxide nanowire loaded on activated carbon (Cd(OH)₂-NW-AC) have been used for the removal of safranine O (SO) from wastewater. The effects of various parameters including pH, temperature, concentration of the dye, amount of adsorbents, and contact time on the SO adsorption efficiency for all adsorbents has been investigated. Graphical correlation of fitting experimental data to various adsorption isotherm models like those of Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, and Dubinin–Radushkevich for all adsorbents have been calculated. It was found that safranine O adsorption on all adsorbents was endothermic and feasible in nature. Fitting the experimental data to different kinetic models suggests that the adsorption process follows pseudo-second-order kinetics with involvement of the particle diffusion mechanism.

KEYWORDS:

• activated carbon (AC)
• adsorption
• cadmium hydroxide nanowire loaded on activated carbon (Cd(OH)₂-NW-AC)
• multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)
• safranine O

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors express their appreciation to the Graduate School and Research Council of the University of Yasouj for financial support of this work.