CONTINUOUS SORPTION OF IONIC DYES ONTO NANOPOROUS FAUJASITE ZEOLITE AND THE REGENERATION OF THE ADSORBENT

This study evaluates the efficiency of synthesized faujasite zeolite in the continuous removal of methylene blue from water and tests the reusability of the regenerated adsorbent. Faujasite Zeolite was synthesized from locally available aluminosilicate clay in Edo State using standard methods documented in the literature. XRF analysis affirmed the elemental composition, showing high levels of silica and alumina, which increased its adsorption capacity. SEM images depicted a crystal-clear structure with an octahedral shape and visible micro-pores on the surface. TGA showed effective thermal stability below 300 ºC, with a 10% weight loss between 28.59 ºC and 300 ºC. BET analysis demonstrated a high surface area of 161.8 m²/g, a pore size of 2.647 nm, and a pore volume of 1.276 cc/g. Results established that increased bed heights raise adsorption capacity and retarded saturation. Bed heights of 1.5 cm and 1 cm achieved improved removal efficiencies of 95.3% and 95.2% in the first hour, when compared to 65% at 0.5 cm. These effects show that increasing bed height improves zeolite's adsorption capacity. The study discovered 1.5 cm as the optimum bed height. Moreover, the regenerated zeolite retained its stability and was applied for another adsorption cycle.