In this study, anionic dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) and
cationic
dialdehyde cellulose (c-DAC) nanofibrous adsorbents were prepared
via a two-step reaction from bamboo pulp, using sodium periodate and
Girard’s reagent T as oxidizing and cationizing agents, respectively.
The performance of DAC and c-DAC for selective dye adsorption and
separation was evaluated by six different organic dyes (with varying
charge properties) and certain binary mixtures. Both adsorbents could
remove the dyes but with different capability, where DAC exhibited
high adsorption efficiency against cationic dyes (e.g., the maximum
adsorption capacity for Bismarck brown Y was 552.1 mg/g) and c-DAC
exhibited high adsorption efficiency against anionic dyes (e.g., the
maximum adsorption capacity for Congo red was 540.3 mg/g). To investigate
the adsorption mechanism for these adsorbents, effects of contact
time, initial pH value, initial dye concentration, and ionic strength
on the adsorption activity against Congo red were investigated. The
adsorption equilibrium data of DAC were found to fit best with the
Langmuir isotherm model, whereas that of c-DAC were found to fit best
with the Freundlich model. Both DAC and c-DAC adsorption kinetic data
could be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and these
adsorbents possessed stable adsorption efficiency in the pH range
of 4–10. Furthermore, their dye adsorption capabilities were
found to increase with increasing ionic strength (salt concentration).
The distinctive complementary features of DAC and c-DAC will allow
them to remove a wide range of organic dyes from industrial wastewater.