The recovery of copper from solution containing Direct Blue 80 (C.I. 24315), a common metal‐complex dye, was examined using ion exchange preceded by oxidative pretreatment using ozone (O3) alone and in combination with hydrogen peroxide. The minimum ozone dosages were 0.1 and 0.2 mg O3)/mg dye for maximum total and breakthrough capacities, respectively. Ion exchange was performed using a strong acid cation‐exchange resin. The optimal ion‐exchange pH levels were 2 and from 3 to 4 for maximum total and breakthrough capacities, respectively. The data suggest that the released copper existed in dynamic equilibrium with both the exchange resin and oxidation byproducts of the organic dye molecule. Ozonation, followed by ion exchange, may be a viable method of removing copper from textile wastewaters containing copper‐complex dyes. Because only minimal organic carbon is exchanged onto the ion‐exchange resin, the integrated chemical oxidation and ion‐exchange process has significant potential as a means to recycle or recover copper from textile wastewaters.
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