Batch and bulk removal of a triarylmethane dye, Fast Green FCF, from wastewater by adsorption over waste materials

De-Oiled Soya, an agricultural waste material and Bottom Ash a waste of power plants, have been used as adsorbents for the removal and recovery of a triarylmethane dye Fast Green FCF from wastewater. Batch studies have been carried by observing the effects of pH, temperature, concentration of the dye, amount of adsorbents, sieve size of adsorbent, contact time, etc. Graphical correlation of various adsorption isotherm models like, Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich have been carried out for both the adsorbents. The adsorption over both the materials has been found endothermic and feasible in nature. Various thermodynamic parameters, such as, Gibb's free energy, entropy and enthalpy of the on-going adsorption process have been calculated. The kinetic studies suggest the process following pseudo first order kinetics and involvement of particle diffusion mechanism. The bulk removal of the dye has been carried out by passing the dye solution through columns of Bottom Ash and De-Oiled Soya and saturation factor of each column has been calculated. Attempts have also been made to recover the dye by eluting dilute NaOH through the columns.