Artocarpus odoratissimus leaf-based cellulose as adsorbent for removal of methyl violet and crystal violet dyes from aqueous solution

Cellulose from the leaves of Artocarpus odoratissimus has been successfully extracted for application as a potential low cost and effective adsorbent to remove toxic dyes, including methyl violet (MV) and crystal violet (CV), from aqueous solution. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics of MV and CV were evaluated in detail. We found that the both dyes were effectively adsorbed by the extracted cellulose with the maximum adsorption capacity was as high as 187 and 239 mg/g for MV and CV, respectively. The adsorption mechanism was governed by the pseudo second-order kinetics, indicating that the attachment of dyes on the extracted cellulose was due to the presence of strong chemical interactions bonds owing to electrostatic attractions. This is supported by regeneration study where the spent adsorbents were effectively regenerated only by using acid and base. In addition, we also demonstrated that the adsorption process involved intraparticle diffusion and hydrogen bonding interactions, thus it depended on pH and ionic strength of the medium. With the high adsorption capacity to remove dyes from aqueous solution, the extracted cellulose would be potentially applicable for treating contaminated wastewater.