Biosorption of Reactive Dyes: A Review

Development of treatment technologies to alleviate water pollution has been a challenging and demanding task for researchers. Furthermore, synthetic dyes fabricated of complex aromatic structures turned out to be a great hazard as they impart color to water reservoirs making them abhorrent for human use. Reactive dyes being water soluble prove difficult to be eliminated by conventional treatment technologies. In recent times, biosorption has gained prominence as a finishing technology to remove pollutants being cost-effective and environment friendly. This paper describes the hazards posed by dyeing effluents, exclusively reactive dyes, on the environment and use of various biosorbents to remove reactive dyes from aqueous solution under optimum physicochemical parameters. Enhancement of biosorption capacity by chemical treatment and immobilization; equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic modeling of biosorption process; characterization by FTIR and SEM and regeneration of biosorbents is also plainly and comprehensively discussed.