Removal of methylene blue dye from artificially contaminated water using citrus limetta peel waste as a very low cost adsorbent

In the present work, the potential of citrus limetta peel (CLP) as a low cost adsorbent for the removal of Methylene blue (MB) dye was investigated. Batch adsorption studies were conducted to find out how adsorption was affected by various factors like contact time, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH and temperature. The experimental data was analysed in the light of Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models. The data was found to be best represented by Langmuir adsorption isotherm with maximum adsorption capacity for monolayer coverage was found to be 227.3 mg/g. The data were analysed in the light of different available kinetic models and was observed to be best followed pseudo-second order kinetics. Desorption of MB-loaded CLP was studied with various desorbing agents and HCl was found to be most effective desorbing agent among HCl, NaOH, NaCl, CH3COOH and deionised doubly distilled water (DDDW). Results suggest that CLP is a very effective low cost adsorbent for the removal of dyes from wastewater. (C) 2016 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.