Removal of malachite green from aqueous solution by zinc oxide nanoparticle loaded on activated carbon: Kinetics and isotherm study

• The authors employ the non-toxic and safe adsorbent for MG removal.
• The effect of some parameters on adsorption interpreted by this model.
• Applicability and surface adsorption capacity of this novel adsorbent is high.
• Using small amount of adsorbent in short time is necessary for complete dye removal.

In this research, a novel adsorbent, zinc oxide nanoparticle loaded on activated carbon (ZnO-NP-AC) was synthesized by a simple, low cost and efficient procedure. Subsequently, this novel material was characterizated and identified by different techniques such as Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. Unique properties such as high surface area (>603 m2/g) and low pore size (<61 Å) and average particle size lower than 100 Å in addition to high reactive atom and presence of various functional groups make it possible for efficient removal of malachite green (MG). In batch experimental set-up, optimum conditions for quantitative removal of MG by ZnO-NP-AC was attained following searching effect of variables such as adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration and pH. Optimum values were set as pH of 7.0, 0.015 g of ZnO-NP-AC at removal time of 15 min. Kinetic studies at various adsorbent dosage and initial MG concentration show that maximum MG removal was achieved within 15 min of the start of every experiment at most conditions. The adsorption of MG follows the pseudo-second-order rate equation in addition to interparticle diffusion model (with removal more than 95%) at all conditions. Equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir model at all amount of adsorbent, while maximum adsorption capacity was 322.58 mg g−1 for 0.005 g of ZnO-NP-AC.