Removal of Color Compounds from Sugarcane Juice by Modified Sugarcane Bagasse: Equilibrium and Kinetic Study

The adsorption performance of color compounds in sugar juice was investigated using modified sugarcane bagasse as an adsorbent. The adsorption of color compounds was investigated at different operating conditions including adsorbent dosage, pH, and contact duration. Three kinetic models and two isotherms were applied to describe the adsorption process and evaluate the adsorption equilibrium, respectively. Results showed that the adsorption was optimum at an adsorbent dosage of 0.05 g/mL and at pH 5 for 30 min, which yielded 59.18 % of decolorization rate. Adsorption kinetics indicated that the process followed the pseudo-second-order chemisorption model. The adsorption behavior was well described by the Freundlich isotherm model, showing a multilayer capacity for color compounds. Moreover, the regeneration studies showed the adsorbent had a good reuse performance over several regeneration cycles. These results suggest that the modified sugarcane bagasse is an inexpensive and efficient adsorbent, which has potential application for removing color compounds from sugar juice.