Effectiveness of beetroot seeds and H3PO4 activated beetroot seeds for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions

Raw beetroot seeds (BS) and H3PO4 activated beetroot seeds (H3PO4-BS) were evaluate for their effectiveness in removing methylene blue (MB) and malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution. BS were carbonized at 500 degrees C for 2 h, and then impregnated with phosphoric acid (phosphoric acid to BS ratio of 1.5 g/g). The impregnated BS were activated in a tubular vertical furnace at 450 degrees C for 2 h. Batch sorption experiments were carried out under various parameters, such as solution pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial dyes concentration and temperature. The experimental results show that the dye sorption was influenced by solution pH and it was greater in the basic range. The sorption yield increases with an increase in the adsorbent dosage. The equilibrium uptake was increased with an increase in the initial dye concentration in solution. Adsorption kinetic data conformed more to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The experimental isotherm data were evaluated by Langmuir, Freundlich, Toth and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. The Langmuir maximum monolayer adsorption capacities were 61.11 and 74.37 mg/g for MB, 51.31 and 213.01 mg/g for MG, respectively in the case of BS and H3PO4-BS. The thermodynamic parameters are also evaluated and discussed.