Competitive adsorption of Reactive Orange 16 and Reactive Brilliant Blue R on polyaniline/bacterial extracellular polysaccharides composite-A novel eco-friendly polymer

The performance of polyaniline/extracellular polymeric substances (Pn/EPS) composite as an adsorbent to remove the anionic reactive dyes, Reactive Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) and Reactive Orange 16 (RO), was investigated in single and binary systems. The pH_pzc of Pn/EPS composite was calculated as 3.7 through potentiometric mass titration method. Electrostatic interaction between the dye anion and the nitrogen present in the polymer was identified as a major mechanism in adsorption process. Single component isotherms followed the Langmuir model with the maximum adsorption capacity of 0.5775mmolg^-1 for RBBR and 0.4748mmolg^-1 for RO. In binary system, both the reactive dye anions compete with each other and resulted in lower uptake. Binary adsorption data were interpreted well by the Sheindorf-Rehbun-Sheintuch equation as compared to extended Langmuir model with constant interaction factor. Kinetic analysis of single solute followed pseudo-first order model. Thermodynamic studies computed that RBBR and RO adsorption was endothermic, spontaneous, and feasible process.