Nanoporous calcined MCM-41 silica for adsorption and removal of Victoria blue dye from different natural water samples

In this work, nanoporous MCM-41 silicate was used for the Victoria blue adsorption and removal from the aqueous solutions. The properties of the synthesized MCM-41 were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and TGA analysis. The method is based on the adsorption of Victoria blue after passing on MCM-41 in a column. The adsorption with respect to contact time, pH, flow rate of sample, and initial concentration of analyte was investigated to provide more information about the adsorption characteristics of MCM-41. After adsorption of the dye, the concentrations of residual dye were determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Adsorption process is well described by Langmuir and Temkin isotherms in comparison with Frundlich isotherm. Results suggested that the adsorption of Victoria blue on calcined MCM-41 was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The experimental data fitted very well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model for Victoria blue onto calcined MCM-41. Adsorption capacity was found to be 192.3mgg(-1). The method was applied to the adsorption and removal of Victoria blue in different environmental water samples.