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Abstract:
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This research was undertaken to determine the
feasibility of removing color of selected dyestuff solutions
with activated carbon columns. The parameters explored were
dye class, flow rate, carbon mesh size, dye molecular size,
and temperature of the influent.
Three dye types were studied: disperse dyes, anionic
dyes, including direct and acid dyes, and cationic dyes. It
was found that cationic dyes were removed more effectively by
activated carbon than anionic or disperse dyes. Disperse dyes
were not appreciably adsorbed by the carbon. but some filtration
did occur. Filtration is not desirable with activated
carbon columns. and disperse dye color was not considered feasibly
removed. Also. two carbon meshes were studied, the
smaller mesh carbon generally performed more efficiently than
the larger mesh. The flow rate of the dye solutions through
the carbon columns was varied with the slower flow rate giving
the more favorable color removal. The temperature of the
influent was carefully controlled at three levels. The rate
of adsorption was greatly increased with an increase in influent
temperature. The molecular size of anionic dyestuffs was
varied. The smaller the anionic molecule the greater the
color removal. With the cationic dyes studied the molecular
size did not affect color removal significantly. In conclusion, activated carbon has been shown to be
feasible for the treatment of certain dyestuffs, however,
adsorption of dyes in activated carbon seems to be very
sensitive to physical variables and chemical differences
within dye classes.
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