This study aims to evaluate the ability of activated carbon to remove reactive blue and red dyes from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were conducted to obtain equilibrium and kinetic data, as well as, optimum conditions such as: pH; temperature; contact time, and initial dye concentration. The results showed that the activated carbon can be successfully used in removing two dyes from wastewater and the removal efficiency up to 85% can be achieved when using activated carbon as reactive blue and red dyes adsorbent. FTIR spectroscopy analysis showed that the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups are the major groups that responsible for the adsorption process of two dyes.The kinetics data of two dyes fitted well the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. For both single and binary systems the experimental data fittedwell to Langmuir isotherm model and the maximum uptake in single system was found to be 2.89 and 2.15 mg/g for reactive red and blue dyes, respectively. These values were reduced in binary system due to the competition between dyes molecules for binding sites onto activated carbon.

Full text: IJEIR_1144_Final.pdf