Adsorption of Congo Red by Ni/Al-CO3 : Equilibrium, Thermodynamic and Kinetic Studies

Experimental investigations were carried out using Ni/Al-CO3 layered double hydroxide as adsorbent for removal of toxic anionic dye namely Congo red from aqueous solutions. The effect of contact time, initial dye concentration and temperature were experimentally studied in batch mode to evaluate the kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process. Experimental results revealed that the degradation of the dye is mostly dependent on temperature. The dye degradation process obeyed the zero-order kinetic model, first-order kinetic model, second-order kinetic model, pseudo second order kinetic and third order kinetic model with correlation coefficient values 1, 0.9998, 0.9999, 0.9999 and 0.9997 respectively. Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Kaganer-Radushkevic isotherms were applied to the equilibrium data and was well described by all. Thermodynamic studies showed congo red adsorption on the layered double hydroxide was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. The results indicate that layered double hydroxide could be employed as alternative for removal of anionic dyes from industrial wastewater.