Abstract
Cross-linked chitosan/waste mussel shell (C/WMS) and chitosan/waste mussel shell/waste active sludge char (C/WMS/WASC) composites were prepared from waste mussel shell, waste active sludge (WAS), and chitosan, were cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. The quantities of chitosan, WMS, and WASC used for the C/WMS and C/WMS/WASC composites were 1:1 and 1:0.5:0.5, respectively. The two adsorbents were characterized their quality by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and a Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) analyzer. The effects of contact time (0–1,620 mins), pH (1–5), adsorbent dosage (0.01–0.1 g/50 ml), initial dye concentration (20–100 mg/L), and temperature (25–45 °C) on Reactive Blue 49 (RB49) adsorption onto C/WMS and C/WMS/WASC composites were investigated. The maximum RB49 adsorption capacity of C/WMS and C/WMS/WASC composites were 54.7 and 38.8 mg/g, respectively. The experimental data were analyzed by kinetic and isotherm models. The Freundlich isotherm was a good fit for the experimental data of RB49 adsorption on C/WMS and C/WMS/WASC composites, and the adsorption kinetics for both adsorbents were the pseudo-second-order rate equation. All results showed the preparative adsorbents can be used as effective adsorbents for the treatment of waste water contaminated with RB49 since being low cost and eco-friendly for the environment.