Removal Of Acid Yellow 11 Dye Using A Novel Modified Biochar Derived From Watermelon Peels

Acid Yellow 11 (AY11) dye is one of many industries used organic dyes which has a harmful effect for aquatic life. In this work, the biochar prepared from watermelon peels and modified with ozone, ammonium hydroxide, and triethylenetetramine was tested as adsorbents for AY11 dye. The influences of different process parameters on the adsorption of AY11 dye onto watermelon peel biochars were examined in batch experiments. On the other hand, the effect of the modification methods on the efficiency of biochar was studied using isotherm and kinetic models. Chemical, thermal, and surface characteristics of raw watermelon peel and its biochars were determined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. The amounts of AY11 dye adsorbed at equilibrium (q(e)) onto prepared watermelon biochars were ranged between 76.94 and 462.18 mg g(-1) at pH 1.0 after 180 min contact time at room temperature. The percentages of removal of AY11 dye were found to be >96%. The Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm was the best fitting isotherm model for the adsorption process and the adsorption rate was primarily controlled by the pseudo-second-order model.