Enhanced technique for removal of methylene blue dye from water using Luffa microcrystalline cellulose
| dc.contributor.author | Ngwenya, V. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ndebele, N.R. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ncube, L.K. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nkomo, N.Z. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gadlula, S. and Ndlovu, L.N. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ndlovu, L.N. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-06-25T09:31:34Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-06-25T09:31:34Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-02-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Methylene blue, a toxic and carcinogenic azo dye, is being discharged as industrial effluent to the environment posing a threat to human health and marine life. Different methods have been developed to alleviate these problems associated with methylene blue. In this work, the adsorption of methylene blue dye was studied using Luffa microcrystalline cellulose (Luffa MCC) under different physicochemical conditions. Luffa MCC was synthesized through a hydrolysis process which entails the extraction of alpha-cellulose from Luffa cylindrica fibers followed by acid treatment for microcrystallisation. The α cellulose extraction was achieved through a pretreatment process of Luffa fibers in NaOH followed by bleaching with H 2 O 2 and finally hydrolysis of α-cellulose using HCl. Different methods were used to characterize the properties of Luffa fibers and Luffa MCC. The morphological structure was studied through the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA). Adsorptive removal of methylene blue was studied at different pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature and contact time. Maximum adsorption efficiency of 99.69%. of methylene blue was achieved at pH 10 in 180 min. The adsorption kinetics suggests a chemisorption process since it was favoring the pseudo-second-order reaction while the isotherm was best described by Langmuir model which suggests that it was monolayer sorption at a homogenous surface. It can be concluded that adsorption properties were significantly improved after the modification of Luffa fibers. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | The research was funded by National University of Science and Technology through the Department of Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Ngwenya, V., Ndebele, N.R., Ncube, L.K., Nkomo, N.Z., Gadlula, S. and Ndlovu, L.N., 2024. Enhanced technique for removal of methylene blue dye from water using Luffa microcrystalline cellulose. South African Journal of Chemistry, 78, pp.113-121. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://196.220.97.103:4000/handle/123456789/855 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | South African Journal of Chemistry | |
| dc.title | Enhanced technique for removal of methylene blue dye from water using Luffa microcrystalline cellulose | |
| dc.type | Article |