Removal of methyl red dye from aqueous solutions using coconut product sawdust by the process of adsorption
Abstract
The use of cheap and environment friendly adsorbents has been studied as possible alternative to commercially available adsorbents for dye removal from wastewater. This study investigates the potential use of coconut products sawdust, pretreated with formaldehyde and sulphuric acid, for the removal of methyl red from simulated wastewater. The effects of dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH, and contact time were studied. Results showed that adsorption percentages were observed to be higher at lower concentrations of methyl red. Percentage of dye removal increased as the amount of adsorbent and the contact time were increased. Sulphuric acid treatment showed better performance compared to formaldehyde treatment. Isothermal data for adsorption followed the Freundlich model. The percentage of dye removal of the coconut sawdusts can still be improved for it to be used as an alternative adsorbent in wastewater treatment.