Biosorption of metal dye from aqueous solution onto Agave americana (L.) fibres

In this research, a new low cost and abundant biosorbent; Agave americna (L.) fibres has been investigated in order to remove metal dye (Alpacide yellow) from aqueous solutions. In order to optimize the biosorption process, the effect of pH, temperature, contact time and initial solution concentration was investigated in batch system. The results indicated that acidic pH=2 was favourable for metal dye removal. The increase of temperature increases the velocity of the biosorption reaction. The biosorption kinetics of alpacide yellow were closer to the pseudo-second order than to the first order model for all concentrations and temperature. The calculated thermodynamic parameters such as dGG∘, dGH∘ and dGS∘ indicated a spontaneous and endothermic biosorption process of metal dye onto Agave americana fibres. The equilibrium data were analysed using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and showed a good fit with Langmuir model at lower temperatures and with Freundlich model at 50 °C.