Removal of Reactive Dye Using a Magnetic Polymer Nanocomposite from Aqueous Solution

Dye pollutants from numerous industries, due to the highly toxic and non-biodegradability, pose a great threat to the human health and environment. In this research, a magnetic nanocomposite modified with polyethyleneimin (PEI/MGO) was synthesized and used as an adsorbent for rapid, efficient and economic removal of reactive dye. Performance of PEI/MGO for the adsorption of reactive dye from aqueous solution was studied by adsorption method in a batch system. Surface properties of PEI/MGO adsorbent were identified by an FE-SEM technique. Adsorption of dye onto adsorbent was confirmed on the basis FTIR analysis. The adsorption experimental data were fitted by pseudo-first-order kinetic and pseudo-second-order kinetic models by linear regression analysis. Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to describe the adsorption equilibrium isotherms. The adsorption capacity was inversely correlated with the initial pH solution while it was directly correlated with the contact time, temperature, and initial concentration of dye. The percentage removal of dye using synthesized nanocomposite was more than 90±3% at pH=3, contact time of 45 min, and temperature of 328 °C. The adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetic and the Freundlich isotherm models. The maximum adsorption capacity of PEI/MGO was 208.333 mg/g at 298 °C. Based on the results of the experiments, the synthesized adsorbent represents a significant potential for removal of reactive dye from aqueous solution.