Powdered biosorbent from the mandacaru cactus (cereus jamacaru) for discontinuous and continuous removal of Basic Fuchsin from aqueous solutions

Abstract A powdered biosorbent was developed by the processing of mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru) leaves, and tested as an alternative material to treat solutions containing Basic Fuchsin dye (BF) in discontinuous and continuous systems. A simple model (ILE model) based in the Langmuir isotherm was developed to predict the continuous biosorption. PML was a fast and efficient biosorbent, attaining biosorption capacity near to 400 mg g−1. PML was also efficient to treat a simulated effluent, providing color removal percentages around 90%. In relation to the continuous operation using PML, an excellent bed performance was found, with breakthrough time of 14 h, and length of mass transfer zone of 1.48 cm. The ILE model was able to predict the breakthrough curve. It can be concluded that PML is a low cost and efficient biosorbent to be used for decolorization of liquid streams in discontinuous and continuous systems.