A new approach to synthesize graphene is oxidizing graphite powder with a mixture of H2SO4/H3PO4 acids and potassium permanganate. Parameters such as reaction time, reaction temperature, and amount of concentration were varied to study the degree of oxidation of graphite to graphene oxide. Currently, an improved method for the preparation of graphene oxide was the most common one. A mixture of H2SO4/H3PO4 (9 : 1 volume ratio) instead of only H2SO4 resulted in increased hydrophilic and oxidized GO without the emission of toxic gas, which differs from the traditional Hummers’ method. The graphene oxide (GO) was converted to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by chemical reduction using ascorbic acid as the reducing agent. The GO and rGO were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction patterns. The result showed that treating graphite powder with potassium permanganate (1 : 9) and a mixture of concentrated H2SO4/H3PO4 acids at 50°C for 12 hours resulted in a better oxidation degree. The designed synthesis strategy could be easily controlled and is an alternative green approach for the production of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide.

The aim of this study was to investigate the adsorption characteristics of malachite green (MG) dye onto the raw (RLAPW) and activated (ALAPW) surface of Lupinus albus seed peel waste prepared via physicochemical activation under alkaline condition as a dye adsorbent. Proximate analysis, surface area (Sears’ method), point of zero charge (pHzpc), and FTIR analysis were used to characterize the adsorbents. The effects of operational parameters such as pH (4) for ALAPW and pH (6) for RLAPW, adsorbent dose (0.2 g), initial dye concentration (30 mg/L), contact time (60 min), and temperature (298 K) were optimized. The experimental data well fitted with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm with the adsorption capacity of 7.3 mg/g for activated Lupinus albus seed peel waste (ALAPW) and Sips isotherm for raw Lupinus albus seed peel waste (RLAPW) with the adsorption capacity of 6.6 mg/g. The kinetics data well fitted to pseudo-second-order kinetic model for both adsorbents. Thermodynamic study revealed that the bioadsorption process using bioadsorbents was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. Desorption experiment was conducted and showed desorption efficiency at an acidic pH of 2. The results showed that the prepared adsorbents exhibited good adsorption capacity and can be used as an alternative adsorbent for the adsorptive removal of malachite green dyes.

Background The release of hazardous synthetic dyes into industrial effluents has emerged as an environmental problem requiring remediation. The present study focused on the preparation of a new and environmentally-friendly material (adsorbent) for the remediation of hazardous dyes from aqueous solution. The low cost adsorbent was prepared from locally available khat (Catha edulis) stem which considered as waste and accumulated on waste disposal areas of Woldia town, Ethiopia. Comprehensive characterization studies were carried out on the bio-adsorbent such as proximate analyses, specific surface area, point of zero charge and FT-IR analysis. Results The proximate analysis shows the prepared adsorbent has very high fixed carbon content (83.65%), which refers to high quality of the adsorbent. The adsorption performance of the prepared activated carbon was optimized by varying operational parameters such as initial dye concentration (10 mg/L), pH (10), dosage (0.5 g), and contact time (60 min). The maximum removal efficiency of the prepared adsorbent at those optimum conditions was 98.8%. The experimental data was tested by most common kinetics and isotherm models. It was observed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model fits better with good correlation coefficient and the equilibrium data fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm model. Conclusion In summery this study demonstrated that the waste bio sorbent could be employed as an effective and eco-friendly alternative for the cleanup of dye-polluted aqueous system.

Background. Dyes are one of the most hazardous materials in industrial effluents which can cause several health problems in living organisms. The removal of dye from colored effluents has attracted increasing attention in the last decade. In this study, raw, beneficiated, and activated waste ash were evaluated as adsorbents for removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution by the batch adsorption method. Comprehensive characterization studies were carried out on each bioadsorbent, such as proximate analyses, bulk density, specific surface area, point of zero charge, pH, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (which shows functional groups on adsorbents surface). The effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, and contact time were determined in order to know the optimum condition and adsorption potential of the adsorbents. The methylene blue (MB) removal efficiency of raw, beneficiated, and activated bioadsorbents from aqueous solutions was found to be 95.212%, 89.172%, and 84.504%, respectively. It is reported that adsorption efficiency of MB on each adsorbent was quite different due to electrostatic and dispersion interaction between the dye molecules and the surface property of the adsorbents. The obtained results were well fitted with the Freundlich isotherm model, and the adsorption process follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model for all adsorbents. In fact, the results showed that raw, beneficiated, and activated waste ash bioadsorbents could be employed as effective and economical alternative material in the near future.

Background: The release of hazardous synthetic dyes into industrial effluents has emerged as an environmental problem requiring remediation. The present study focused on the preparation of a new and environmentally-friendly material (adsorbent) for the remediation of aqueous media containing dye. The low cost adsorbent was prepared from locally available khat (Catha edulis) stem which considered as waste and accumulated on waste disposal areas of woldia town, Ethiopia. Comprehensive characterization studies were carried out on the bio-adsorbent such as proximate analyses, specific surface area, and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (which shows functional groups on adsorbents surface). Results: The proximate analysis shows the prepared adsorbent has very high fixed carbon content (83.65%), which refers to high quality of the adsorbent. The adsorption performance of the prepared activated carbon was optimize by varying operating parameters such as initial dye concentration (10 mg/L), pH (10), dosage (0.5 g), and contact time (60 min). The maximum removal efficiency of the prepared adsorbent at those optimum conditions was 98.8%. The experimental data was tested by most common kinetics and isotherm models. It was observed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model fits better with good correlation coefficient and the equilibrium data fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm model. Conclusion: In summery this study demonstrated that the waste bio sorbent could be employed as an effective and eco-friendly alternative for the cleanup of dye-polluted aqueous system.