Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Adsorption kinetic studies for removal of methylene blue using activated carbon prepared from sugar beet pulp

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sugar beet pulp is an abundant, renewable and low-cost precursor for production of activated carbon. In the present study, sugar beet pulp based activated carbon was prepared by using phosphoric acid as activating agent for adsorption of methylene blue. The conditions of preparation process had a significant influence on the adsorption of methylene blue, and the optimal preparation conditions were obtained as follows: liquid-to-solid ratio of 5, temperature of 450 °C and phosphoric acid concentration of 3 mol/L. The properties of sugar beet pulp based activated carbon were characterized by nitrogen adsorption isotherm. The adsorption increases as the increase of contact time, adsorption temperature and pH, and initial concentration of methylene blue. Batch kinetic studies showed that an equilibrium time of 100 min was needed for the adsorption, and the adsorbance of methylene blue is 244.76 mg/g at equilibration. Kinetic models, Weber’s pore diffusion model and Boyd’s equation were applied to the experimental data to study the mechanism of adsorption and the controlled step. The results showed that the adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order type kinetic model, intraparticle diffusion was not the rate-limiting mechanism and adsorption process was controlled by film diffusion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-Ghani N, El-Chaghaby G, Zahran E (2015) Pentachlorophenol (PCP) adsorption from aqueous solution by activated carbons prepared from corn wastes. Int J Environ Sci Technol 12(1):211–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad MA, Rahman NK (2011) Equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamic of Remazol Brilliant Orange 3R dye adsorption on coffee husk-based activated carbon. Chem Eng J 170(1):154–161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alkhatib M, Mamun AA, Akbar I (2015) Application of response surface methodology (RSM) for optimization of color removal from POME by granular activated carbon. Int J Environ Sci Technol 12(4):1295–1302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amri N, Alrozi R, Osman MS, Nasuha N, Aman NS (2012) Removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solution using pink guava (Psidium guajava) waste-based activated carbon. In: IEEE Symposium on Humanities, Science and Engineering Research (SHUSER), pp 33–38

  • Arulkumar M, Sathishkumar P, Palvannan T (2011) Optimization of Orange G dye adsorption by activated carbon of Thespesia populnea pods using response surface methodology. J Hazard Mater 186(1):827–834

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cherifi H, Fatiha B, Salah H (2013) Kinetic studies on the adsorption of methylene blue onto vegetal fiber activated carbons. Appl Surf Sci 282:52–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collin JG, Lee MP (2009) Sorption kinetic studies of medical grade activated carbon prepared from papaya seeds. Mod Appl Sci 2(6):115–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Demiral H, Gündüzoğlu G (2010) Removal of nitrate from aqueous solutions by activated carbon prepared from sugar beet bagasse. Bioresour Technol 101(6):1675–1680

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deng H, Yang L, Tao G, Dai J (2009) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from cotton stalk by microwave assisted chemical activation-Application in methylene blue adsorption from aqueous solution. J Hazard Mater 166(2–3):1514–1521

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Din ATM, Hameed BH, Ahmad AL (2009) Batch adsorption of phenol onto physiochemical-activated coconut shell. J Hazard Mater 161(2–3):1522–1529

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dursun AY, Tepe O, Uslu G, Dursun G, Saatci Y (2013) Kinetics of Remazol Black B adsorption onto carbon prepared from sugar beet pulp. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20(4):2472–2483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hameed BH (2009) Evaluation of papaya seeds as a novel non-conventional low-cost adsorbent for removal of methylene blue. J Hazard Mater 162(2–3):939–944

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hameed B, El-Khaiary M (2008) Equilibrium, kinetics and mechanism of malachite green adsorption on activated carbon prepared from bamboo by K2CO3 activation and subsequent gasification with CO2. J Hazard Mater 157(2):344–351

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hameed B, Ahmad A, Aziz N (2009) Adsorption of reactive dye on palm-oil industry waste: equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies. Desalination 247(1):551–560

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ho Y, McKay G (1998) A comparison of chemisorption kinetic models applied to pollutant removal on various sorbents. Process Saf Environ Prot 76(4):332–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaur P, Singh A, Prince A, Kushwaha J (2015) Optimization and evaluation of CBSOL LE red wool dye adsorption from aqueous solution onto commercial activated carbon. Int J Environ Sci Technol 12(12):3755–3766

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy LJ, Vijaya JJ, Kayalvizhi K, Sekaran G (2007) Adsorption of phenol from aqueous solutions using mesoporous carbon prepared by two-stage process. Chem Eng J 132(1):279–287

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kılıç M, Apaydın-Varol E, Pütün AE (2012) Preparation and surface characterization of activated carbons from Euphorbia rigida by chemical activation with ZnCl2, K2CO3, NaOH and H3PO4. Appl Surf Sci 261:247–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langergren S, Svenska BK (1898) Zur theorie der sogenannten adsorption geloester stoffe. Veternskapsakad. Handlingar 24:1–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Li D-Q, Shang J-J, Ma X-F, Zhu X-Y, Liu Z-Y (2013) Combined influence of extraction parameters on degree of esterification of sugar beet pulp pectin: a preliminary study. J Chem Soc Pak 35(5):1256–1259

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao Q, Liu Q, Meng M, Zhao Y, Ji X, Kang C, Huang S (2011) Study on preparation of rice husk-based activated carbon and its adsorption of methylene blue. Chin J Environ Eng 5(11):2447–2452

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Q-S, Zheng T, Wang P, Guo L (2010) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from bamboo by microwave-induced phosphoric acid activation. Ind Crops Prod 31(2):233–238

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma X, Li D, Wu Z, Meng G, Wu Y, Zhang H, Liu Z (2014) Preparation of activated carbon from sugar beet pulp via microwave-assisted method. J Shihezi Univ (Natural Science) 32(3):349–354

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malekbala MR, Hosseini S, Kazemi Yazdi S, Masoudi Soltani S, Malekbala MR (2012) The study of the potential capability of sugar beet pulp on the removal efficiency of two cationic dyes. Chem Eng Res Des 90(5):704–712

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McKay G, Porter JF, Prasad GR (1999) the removal of dye colours from aqueous solutions by adsorption on low-cost materials. Water Air Soil Pollut 114(3–4):423–438

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ozer A, Tumen F (2003) Cd (II) adsorption from aqueous solution by activated carbon from sugar beet pulp impregnated with phosphoric acid. Fresenius Environ Bull 12(9):1050–1058

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponnusami V, Madhuram R, Krithika V, Srivastava SN (2008) Effects of process variables on kinetics of methylene blue sorption onto untreated guava (Psidium guajava) leaf powder: statistical analysis. Chem Eng J 140(1–3):609–613

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puziy A, Poddubnaya O, Martınez-Alonso A, Suárez-García F, Tascon J (2002) Synthetic carbons activated with phosphoric acid: II. Porous structure. Carbon 40(9):1507–1519

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saka C (2012) BET, TG-DTG, FT-IR, SEM, iodine number analysis and preparation of activated carbon from acorn shell by chemical activation with ZnCl2. J Anal Appl Pyrol 95:21–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Samadi M, Rahman A, Zarrabi M, Shahabi E, Sameei F (2009) Adsorption of chromium (VI) from aqueous solution by sugar beet bagasse-based activated charcoal. Environ Technol 30(10):1023–1029

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thitame P, Shukla S (2016) Adsorptive removal of reactive dyes from aqueous solution using activated carbon synthesized from waste biomass materials. Int J Environ Sci Technol 13(2):561–570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tongpoothorn W, Sriuttha M, Homchan P, Chanthai S, Ruangviriyachai C (2011) Preparation of activated carbon derived from Jatropha curcas fruit shell by simple thermo-chemical activation and characterization of their physico-chemical properties. Chem Eng Res Des 89(3):335–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vadivelan V, Kumar KV (2005) Equilibrium, kinetics, mechanism, and process design for the sorption of methylene blue onto rice husk. J Colloid Interface Sci 286(1):90–100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vučurović VM, Razmovski RN, Tekić MN (2012) Methylene blue (cationic dye) adsorption onto sugar beet pulp: equilibrium isotherm and kinetic studies. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 43(1):108–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang T, Tan S, Liang C (2009) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from wood via microwave-induced ZnCl2 activation. Carbon 47(7):1880–1883

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Zhang J, Zhao R, Li C, Li Y, Zhang C (2010) Adsorption of basic dyes on activated carbon prepared from Polygonum orientale Linn: equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies. Desalination 254(1):68–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao H, Peng H, Deng S, Yang X, Zhang Y, Li Y (2012) Preparation of activated carbon from edible fungi residue by microwave assisted K2CO3 activation-Application in reactive black 5 adsorption from aqueous solution. Bioresour Technol 111:127–133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang K, Peng J, Srinivasakannan C, Zhang L, Xia H, Duan X (2010) Preparation of high surface area activated carbon from coconut shells using microwave heating. Bioresour Technol 101(15):6163–6169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhong Z-Y, Yang Q, Li X-M, Luo K, Liu Y, Zeng G-M (2012) Preparation of peanut hull-based activated carbon by microwave-induced phosphoric acid activation and its application in Remazol Brilliant Blue R adsorption. Ind Crops Prod 37(1):178–185

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge financial support from the prophase-sustentation fund of Xinjiang Agricultural University (No. XJAU201301) and National Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of China (No. 201410758033).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi, 830052, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China

    D. Li, J. Yan & Z. Liu

  2. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832003, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Z. Liu

  3. Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Bintuan, Shihezi, 832003, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Z. Liu

Authors
  1. D. Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Z. Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Z. Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, D., Yan, J., Liu, Z. et al. Adsorption kinetic studies for removal of methylene blue using activated carbon prepared from sugar beet pulp. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 13, 1815–1822 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-1012-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-016-1012-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation