Removal of commercial dyes from aqueous media by adsorption on biochar prepared from beans of cassia fistula
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Date
2023
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UMT, Lhr
Abstract
Commercial dyes used in textile industry for dying the fabric are usually toxic and damage aquatic life in water significantly. Untreated industrial effluents flushed out in
water channels are considered a major source of water pollution. In this work three commercial dyes: Safranine, Crystal Violet and Orange-2 are removed from aqueous
media by adsorbing them on biochar. The biochar used in this work was prepared from a locally grown decorative plant Cassia Fistula commonly known as Amaltas in
local language. This plant has been abundantly found in all areas of Punjab (Pakistan). In spring yellow clusters of flowers can be easily seen showering on the branches of this plant. On the end of spring season, one to two feet long beans of dark brown colour containing seeds are found hanging along with the branches of the plant. To prepare the biochar the dried beans were collected from the plants available in the campus (Punjab University, Lahore). The seeds were removed by crushing the beans and the skull was dried and pyrolyzed in a furnace under control temperature and little presence of air. The black lumps of biochar obtained were ground and sieved. All the three dyes mentioned above were adsorbed on this mass by shaking in aqueous media and under different conditions of temperature, pH, adsorbent dose and shaking speed and time etc. It was observed that under optimum conditions each of the above mentioned dyes can be eliminated from 95% to 99% in aqueous media. This method of removing the toxic dyes by adsorbing on biochar prepared by the pyrolysis of an indigenous plant material was found a simple, fast and inexpensive.