Investigations on Surface Modification of Coconut Cake and Adsorption of Dyes from Aqueous Media

IJEP 42(5): 613-617 : Vol. 42 Issue. 5 (May 2022)

Thomas Mathew1, P.J. Joseph Francis2 and Madhu G.3*

1. Mahatma Gandhi University, School of Environmental Sciences, Kottayam – 686 560, Kerala, India
2. National University of Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Tareef, Sohar 321, Sultanate of Oman
3. Cochin University of Science and Technology, School of Engineering, Cochin – 682 022, Kerala, India

Abstract

Adsorption is a universal water treatment process since it can be applied to remove soluble and insoluble organic, inorganic and biological materials. Biopolymers having rigid structural features and required surface properties are being used as adsorbents to remove pollutants from aqueous systems due to their availability, efficiency and environmental friendliness. The present research work is a study of the adsorption capability of treated coconut cake to remove certain dyes from water at different hydrogen ion concentrations (pH). The monomeric materials from crude coconut cake are removed by proper treatments and the remaining polymeric mixture has properties to function as adsorbents in water purification processes. The treated coconut cake is mainly a mixture of cellulose and proteins and their functional group diversity can be exploited. The pH-dependence of adsorption of dyes is explained in terms of the surface modifications that have occurred to the biopolymeric mixture with respect to the pH of the medium.

Keywords

Adsorption, Biopolymer, Coconut cake, Dye removal, pH

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