ABSTRACT
This paper reports a study on the adsorption of the dye sunset yellow, present in an aqueous synthetic solution and a real effluent from a soft drink plant, onto granular-activated carbon derived from coconut husks, using a batch system. The kinetic equilibrium was investigated using two different dye concentrations (10(2) and 10(3) mg L(-1)) at 25 degrees C and 150 rpm. The adsorption isotherms and thermodynamics parameters were evaluated at 25 degrees C, 35 degrees C, 45 degrees C and 55 degrees C, using the synthetic and real effluents (5-10(3) mg L(-1)). Experimental data showed that the adsorbent was effective in the removal of sunset yellow dye and the contact time required to attain the adsorption equilibrium did not exceed 10 h. The adsorption capacity was not influenced within a wide range of pH values (1-12), although at high dye concentrations it increased with increasing temperature for both the synthetic and real effluents. The Redlich-Peterson isotherm best represented the equilibrium data of the system. The negative values obtained for DeltaG0 and DeltaH0 suggest that this adsorption process is spontaneous, favourable, and exothermic. The positive values for DeltaS0 indicate an increase in the entropy at the solid/liquid interface. Based on the results of this study, adsorption appears to be a promising method for the removal of sunset yellow azo dye from effluent generated at soft drink plants.
