Development of adsorbent rigid structure based on Spirulina sp./chitosan bioblends coatings for dye adsorption in fixed bed column.

The glass particles were coated with Spirulina sp. LEB-18 and bioblends of Spirulina sp. LEB-18/chitosan by casting technique and, afterward, it was verified its potential as adsorbents for basic and acid dyes. Nine Spirulina sp. suspensions with different components were used to coat the glass particles, and in the best condition of coating were prepared the bioblends with chitosan. The coated glass particles with Spirulina sp. and its bioblends with chitosan were applied in adsorption of the allura red (acid) and methylene blue (basic) dyes in a batch operation evaluate the pH effect, and a fixed bed column operation, being evaluated to the removal percentage and adsorption capacity of the column. The glass particles coated with Spirulina sp. applied in batch adsorption showed the highest removal percentages for allura red dye (35 to 45%) at pH 4.0, and for methylene blue dye (35 to 80%) at pH 6.0 and 8.0. In fixed bed column using glass particles coated with bioblends were reached the amount dye of 54.2 mg of adsorbed allura red dye and 60.2 mg of the of adsorbed methylene blue dye, respectively. Moreover, it was found good dye adsorption capacities, around 89 mg g-1, for both dyes, in acidic and basic pH values. Based on these results, these bioblends coated glass particles can be applied as an adsorbent for different types of dyes in adsorption column.