Removal of Cationic Dye From Aqueous Solution by Chemically Treated Mangrove Barks

This study investigating the feasibility of using mangrove bark, a solid waste, abundantly available in Malaysia, for the adsorption of malachite green, a cationic dye from aqueous solution. The bark powder was chemically modified in an acidic formaldehyde solution and then used as adsorbent for the adsorption experiments. Batch adsorption studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of contact time, initial concentration, pH, and adsorbent dose on the removal of dye by the chemically treated bark. The applicability of the Langmuir as well as Freundlich adsorption isotherms for the present system is tested. The experimental data fitted well with the Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 129.87 mg/g. The results demonstrated that the bark is a very effective adsorbent for the removal of malachite green from aqueous solutions.