ASSESSMENT OF ORANGE PULP DERIVED ACTIVATED CARBON AS AN ECO-FRIENDLY ADSORBENT IN REACTIVE BLUE 49 REMOVAL

Abstract

In this study, activated carbon derived from orange (Citrus sinensis L.) pulp was used to remove Reactive Blue 49 from aqueous solutions. Activated carbon was produced by chemical activation method at an activation temperature 500 degrees C with a 3:1 impregnation ratio (ZnCl2 : orange pulp). The effects of various adsorption parameters (solution pH, activated carbon dosage, initial dye concentration, solution temperature, and contact time) on the dye removal were investigated. The maximum dye adsorption capacity (78.74 mg/g) was achieved at pH 2, with 0.4 g of adsorbent, an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L, and a solution temperature of 45 degrees C. The equilibrium data were well defined by the Langmuir isotherm model, and the kinetic data exhibited the best fit with the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the dye adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous.