Removal of methylene blue by adsorption on aluminosilicate waste: equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters

An aluminosilicate waste (AW) was investigated as adsorbent for methylene blue (MB) dye. AW was characterized by petrography, X-ray diffractometry, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry and zeta potential measurements. It was found that AW contains kaolinite, and other minor components such as quartz, muscovite, smectite, siderite, pyrite and organic compounds. The chemical composition of AW is mainly SiO₂ (49%) and Al₂O₃ (23%) and it has negative superficial charge above pH 1.73. Adsorption of MB dye was studied in a batch system under different conditions of initial dye concentration, contact time and temperature. The isothermal data from batch experiments were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich equations, with a better fit shown by the Langmuir isotherm equation. Also, pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion models were considered to evaluate the rate parameters. The experimental data fitted the pseudo-first-order kinetic model best. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated, showing the adsorption to be an endothermic yet spontaneous process, with the activation energy of +37.8 kJ mol^–1. The results indicate that AW adsorbs MB efficiently, and can be employed as a low-cost alternative in wastewater treatment for the removal of cationic dyes.