ADSORPTION KINETICS AND EQUILIBRIA OF BASIC DYES ONTO ZEOLITE IN SINGLE AND BINARY COMPONENT SYSTEMS

Adsorptive removal of Basic Blue 3 (BB 3) and Basic Red 18 (BR 18) by a clinoptilolite-type natural zeolite from their single-component solutions has been studied in the temperature range of 298–328 K. Experimental equilibrium results are well described by the Freundlich and the Langmuir isotherm models. The model parameters obtained for single-solute systems at 298 K have been used for the prediction of adsorption isotherms in binary dye solutions using multicomponent isotherm models. Competitive adsorption results between BB 3 and BR 18 in binary solutions satisfactorily fit the extended Freundlich, extended Langmuir, and modified Langmuir models. A site distribution function that gives information about affinity of adsorption sites for competing species in binary systems has been mathematically calculated using the Freundlich parameters. Time-dependent results for single and binary dye solutions have been analyzed according to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model based on chemisorption and a McKay model assuming two resistance diffusion processes, respectively. The diffuse reflectance FT-IR spectra indicate that the dyes are adsorbed via electrostatic interactions in external rings of clinoptilolite by replacing the zeolitic water in a single system, and they diffuse through the liquid associated with zeolitic water in TO₄ tetrahedra (T: Al, Si) in a mixed solution.