Abstract:
This study falls within the framework of agricultural waste valorization,
using date pedicels as a natural adsorbent material to remove industrial dyes,
particularly methylene blue, known for its toxicity and environmental
persistence.
To optimize the adsorption efficiency, an in-depth experimental study
was carried out based on a Box-Behnken response surface design. The
investigated factors included: adsorbent mass, pH, temperature, ionic strength,
and agitation speed.
The analysis of the results showed that the adsorption process fits well
with both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Mathematical
modeling and simulation within the defined experimental domain led to
achieving a maximum adsorption yield of 97%, under the following optimal
conditions: adsorbent mass (2 g), pH = 11.59, temperature (30 °C), ionic
strength (0.052 mg/L), and agitation speed (300 rpm).
These results confirm the efficiency of date pedicels as a natural,
economical, and sustainable material for the treatment of dye-contaminated
water.
