Adsorptive removal of Congo red from aqueous solutions using crosslinked chitosan and crosslinked chitosan immobilized bentonite

•CCS and CCS/BT composite were prepared and characterized.•The adsorption of CR onto the CCS and CCS/BT composite followed the Langmuir isotherm model.•The pseudo-second-order model described the adsorption kinetic behavior.•The CCS/BT composite showed a better adsorption capacity for CR over CCS.

Batch experiments were executed to investigate the removal of Congo red (CR) from aqueous solutions using the crosslinked chitosan (CCS) and crosslinked chitosan immobilized bentonite (CCS/BT composite). The CCS and CCS/BT composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The removal of CR was examined as a function of pH value of CR solution, contact time, and inorganic sodium salt and ionic strength. The equilibrium data of CCS and CCS/BT composite agreed well with the Langmuir model. The adsorption capacities of CCS and CCS/BT composite at 298 K and natural pH value were 405 and 500 mg/g, respectively. The kinetic data correlated well with the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption of CR onto the CCS was mainly controlled by chemisorption while the adsorption of CR onto the CCS/BT composite was controlled by chemisorption and the electrostatic attraction.

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