RICE HUSK- AN AGROWASTE, AS AN ADSORBENT FOR METHYLENE BLUE DYE REMOVAL

Abstract

Rice husk is generated in massive amount as byproduct of rice milling industry. One waste causing pollution could be used to treat another type of pollution in order to protect environment. Air pollution caused due to burning of rice husk is a hot topic of present scenario. Our batch study aimed to utilize agrowaste i.e. rice husk as an adsorbent for removal of methylene blue dye present in effluents. Influences of five parameters like pH (3-9), temperature (20℃-40℃), agitation rate (100-225 rpm), time (15-120 min) and adsorbent concentration (0.1-5 g) on the sorption efficiency was studied during the process. Maximum methylene blue dye removal efficiency i.e. 92.1% was obtained when 0.5g of rice husk was used for treatment at 30℃ with pH-7 and 175 rpm for 90 minutes. Our results revealed that rice husk can be applied as an effective low cost adsorbent material for the biosorption of methylene blue from aqueous solutions.