Study of malachite green adsorption by organically modified clay using a batch method

The adsorption of toxic dye malachite green from aqueous effluents by organically modified clay was studied in a batch system. The organoclay (OC) used was prepared by the intercalation of cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide in a Mexican montmorillonite. The effects of initial dye concentration, temperature, pH, and contact time were investigated. The OC showed a high dye removal (99.6%) from an initial dye concentration of 60 mg L−1 at pH 6 and 25 °C. The adsorption capacity was independent of pH and increased with the temperature. Equilibrium data were well fitted by Langmuir adsorption model. The rate of sorption was adjusted to a pseudo second-order kinetic model.