Original Articles
T. Ainane, A. Abourriche, M. K
Abstract
Activated carbon is used for a long time as an adsorbent dyes, but it is expensive and ecological requirements imposed on manufacturers to seek new materials, cheaper, can replace the carbon. The clay materials abundant in Morocco, can be used as adsorbent, due to its physical and chemical characteristics and its specific surface well developed, it can be used in the treatment and disposal of toxic chemicals contained in contaminated effluents. This work has allowed us to study the adsorption of methylene blue on the natural clay, the latter was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). A theoretical study of the adsorption has been made. It is difficult to clearly identify the binding reactions put into play when the solute is in contact with an adsorbent because the environment is complex and poorly defined. Resulting models provide a relationship between the concentration of a species in solution and the amount of that species adsorbed per unit weight of adsorbent. In this work, we conducted a study of adsorption isotherms, where we have used the theoretical models LANGMUIR and FREUNDLICH to explain the mechanism of binding of methylene blue on clay. From the values of maximum adsorption capacity and equilibrium constants, and the comparison of these values with previous work, the natural clay used in this study is effective in removing dyes.