Removal of Orange-G and Methyl Violet dyes by adsorption onto bagasse fly ash—kinetic study and equilibrium isotherm analyses

In the study, bagasse fly ash (BFA) (generated as waste material from sugar mill), was used as an adsorbent for the removal of Orange-G (OG), and Methyl Violet (MV), from aqueous solution. Batch studies were performed to address various experimental parameters like pH, contact time, adsorbent dose and initial concentration for the removal of these dyes. Effective pH for OG and MV removal were 4 and 9, respectively. Greater percentage of dye was removed with decrease in the initial concentration of dyes, and increase in amount of adsorbent used. Kinetic study showed that the adsorption of dyes on BFA was a gradual process. Quasi-equilibrium reached in 4 h. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Bangham and intra-particle particle diffusion models were used to fit the experimental data. Pseudo-second-order rate equation was able to provide realistic description of adsorption kinetics. Equilibrium isotherms were analysed by Freundlich, Langmuir, Redlich–Peterson, Dubnin–Radushkevich, and Tempkin isotherm equations using correlation coefficients and five different error functions. Freundlich equation is found to best represent the equilibrium data for OG-BFA system while Redlich–Peterson equation better fits the data for MV-BFA system. Thermodynamic study showed that adsorption of MV on BFA (with a more negative Gibbs free energy value) is more favoured among the dyes studied. BFA which was used without any pretreatment showed high surface area, pore volume and pore size exhibiting its potential to be used as an adsorbent for the removal of OG and MV.