Mohammad Reza Rahman-Setayesh - Research Lab for Advanced Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
Ahmad Rahbar Kelishami - Research Lab for Advanced Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
Hadi Shayesteh - Research Lab for Advanced Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran

In this work, methylene blue adsorption using the unconventional, natural, and low-cost adsorbent, Buxus sempervirens (Boxwood) leaf powder (BLP), was studied. Several experiments were conducted for the investigation of different process variables. Also   different techniques such as XRF, XRD, SEM, FT-IR and N۲ adsorption-desorption analysis were applied for the characterization of BLP. Adsorption kinetic models showed that the pseudo-second-order by R۲ = ۰.۹۹۹ was well adapted. Two isotherms models, Langmuir and Freundlich, were selected to check of the amount of color removal. Methylene blue (MB) maximum adsorption capacities can attain ۳۸۴.۶۱ mg.g-۱ from the Langmuir isotherm. The values of ∆G۰ for adsorption of MB onto BLP ranges from -۱۹.۴۴ to -۲۴.۰۷ kJ.mol-۱, demonstrating that the adsorption process was spontaneous and irreversible. The removal of dye was considerably increased by increasing the temperature, which suggested that the adsorption process was endothermic. All results indicate that BLP can be feasibly employed for the elimination of MB from an aqueous solution.

Dye, Boxwood, biosorbent, Water treatment