Removal of methylene blue in aqueous solution onto activated rice husk ash by microwave method

Abstract

Nowadays, it is possible to use any plant biomass material, brought to the pyrolysis under anaerobic conditions to produce activated carbon, which can be residues of crops and wood waste, or different organic materials. Dyes produced by the textile, printing and paper industries can end up in waste waters and are therefore a potential source of pollution of rivers and waterways. In this research, rice husk, abandoned and available agriculture waste, were developed into activated carbon using microwave methods. The optimal experimental parameters such as pH, contact time, activated carbon dose, and temperature were investigated. The activated carbon was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The maximum adsorption capacities toward methylene blue was 6.13 mg g^-1. The experimental data fitted the Freundlich equation well, although the Langmuir equation could also describe them. The adsorption process follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model compared to the pseudofirst-order kinetic model.