Adsorption of Reactive Dyes on Activated Carbon Developed from Enteromorpha prolifera

Activated carbon was prepared from Enteromorpha prolifera by zinc chloride activation. The adsorption behaviors of three reactive dyes (Reactive Red 23, Reactive Blue 171 and Reactive Blue 4) onto this biomass activated carbon were investigated in batch systems. The experimental findings showed that the removal efficiencies of three dyes onto activated carbon were maximum at the initial solution pH of 4.5 - 6.0. Thermodynamic studies suggested that adsorption reaction was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Adsorption isotherm of the three dyes obeyed Freundlich isotherm modal. Dye adsorption capacities of activated carbon were 59.88, 71.94 and 131.93 mg·g?1 for RR23, RB171 and RB4 at 27?C, respectively. Second-order kinetic models fitted better to the equilibrium data of three dyes. The adsorption process on activated carbon was mainly controlled by intraparticle diffusion mechanism.