Equilibrium and kinetic study for the removal of malachite green using activated carbon prepared from Borassus flabellofer male flower

Activated carbon was prepared from dried Borassus flabellofer male flower and batch adsorption experiments were conducted to study its potential to remove malachite green (MG) dye. The process was further optimized by studying the operating variables like initial pH of the stock solution, activation temperature, initial dye concentration, adsorbent loading and contact time. The optimized pH and activation temperatures were found to be 7.55 and 450 degrees C respectively, where further analysis was made using these optimal variables. Linear, Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were studied and it was found that the Langmuir isotherms have the highest correlation coefficients compared to the others. Further, the sorption kinetics were analysed using pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The data showed that the second-order equation was the more appropriate, which indicate that the intra-particle diffusion is the rate limiting factor. (c) 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.