Application of the central composite design to study the flocculation of an anionic azo dye using quaternized cellulose nanofibrils.
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) grafted with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC), containing quaternary ammonium contents of 0.44 (QCNF-1), 1.47 (QCNF-2), and 2.28 (QCNF-3) meqg(-1), were evaluated as flocculants for the removal of Reactive Orange 16, an anionic azo dye, from aqueous solution. A rotatable and orthogonal central composite design was used to examine the performance of QCNFs under a range of experimental conditions. Removal efficiencies at the centre point of the design space were found to be 236.9±7.8, 254.2±3.8, and 264.6±2.8mgg(-1) for QCNF-1, QCNF-2 and QCNF-3, respectively. The highest removal efficiency, 295.1mgg(-1), was observed when using QCNF-3 at a low monovalent salt concentration. The QCNF reported herein provides a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to traditional synthetic flocculants for the decolorization of dye-containing effluents.
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1.
Patrick James
PJ
Quinlan
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1.
Aafia
A
Tanvir
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1; Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1. Electronic address: mkctam@uwaterloo.ca.
Kam Chiu
KC
Tam
Anionic dye; Cellulose nanofibrils; Flocculation; Quaternized; Wastewater