Removal of methylene blue from water using zeolites prepared from Egyptian kaolins collected from different sources

Na-Y Zeolites prepared from local Egyptian kaolins were investigated as adsorbents to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. Three Egyptian kaolins, KS, KD and KK were collected from Saint Catherine, Dehessa and Kalabsha, respectively. The influences of the chemical composition of kaolin ores and the surface properties of the prepared zeolites on the adsorption processes have been studied. The effects of various parameters such as surface area, particle size, initial MB concentration, contact time, adsorbent concentration and successive adsorption cycles were examined. Comparison with previous studies show satisfactory removal performance for MB as compared to other reported zeolites. The adsorption capacities of zeolite toward MB are mainly influenced by the particle size of zeolites rather than the zeolitic content. Zeolite samples with small particle size and high external surface area are recommended for the removal of MB.