Adsorption and desorption studies of dyes onto pyrolysed chemically activated shea butter (<i>Vitellaria paradoxa</i>) leaves

Abstract

The present study explains the preparation and application of Vitellaria paradoxa Activated Biomass (VPAB) as a new low-cost adsorbent for the removal of Methylene Blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) dye from its aqueous solution. pHpzc determines the pH at which the adsorbent surface has net electrical neutrality. The effects of operating parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH and particle sizes were investigated for the removal of MB and RhB dyes using VPAB. The maximum adsorption of MB and RhB dye onto VPAB took place in the following experimental conditions: pH of 6, contact time of 60min and pH of 7 contact of time 80 mins. The adsorption kinetic results showed that the pseudo-second order model was more suitable to explain the adsorption of MB and RhB dye onto VPAB.