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Comparative evaluation of the adsorption performance of sustainable bio-based polymers for Methylene Blue removal: the case of β-Cyclodextrin, Arabic Gum, and Starch in synthetic aqueous solutions

Authors

  • mourad Roudi Chemaa Civil Engineering and Environment Laboratory (LGCE), Materials, Water and Environment Team, Higher School of Technology of Sale, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7737-453X
  • Mohamed Khamar Civil Engineering and Environment Laboratory (LGCE), Materials, Water and Environment Team, Higher School of Technology of Sale, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2845-9326
  • Abderrahmane Nounah Civil Engineering and Environment Laboratory (LGCE), Materials, Water and Environment Team, Higher School of Technology of Sale, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0272-4040
  • Fatima Benradi Civil Engineering and Environment Laboratory (LGCE), Materials, Water and Environment Team, Higher School of Technology of Sale, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2610-0857
  • Khaoula Doughmi Civil Engineering and Environment Laboratory (LGCE), Materials, Water and Environment Team, Higher School of Technology of Sale, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6665-4742

Keywords:

Adsorption, Aqueous solution, Cationic dye, Isotherm, Kinetics, Polysaccharide

Abstract

Industrial wastewater pollution, particularly from the textile sector, represents a serious environmental challenge that requires efficient and sustainable treatment strategies. This study investigates the removal of Methylene Blue (MB) from synthetic aqueous solutions using crosslinked polysaccharide-based polymers prepared from β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD), Arabic Gum (AG), and Starch (ST) with citric acid (CA) to obtain water-insoluble adsorbents. The synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface analysis, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted under varying conditions of pH, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, temperature, and contact time. Adsorption equilibrium was analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models, while kinetics were evaluated through pseudo-first-order (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) models. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°) were also determined. The results indicated that the Langmuir isotherm and PSO kinetic model best described MB adsorption. Among the tested materials, CA/β-CD exhibited the highest adsorption capacity, achieving removal efficiencies of 98.33%, compared with 97.03% for CA/AG and 93.59% for CA/ST. The adsorption mechanism was mainly attributed to electrostatic interactions between negatively charged carboxylate groups and the cationic dye. Regeneration studies demonstrated that all adsorbents maintained removal efficiencies above 86% after five cycles. These findings suggest that crosslinked polysaccharide-based polymers are efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective adsorbents for MB removal from industrial wastewater

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Published

2026-06-05

How to Cite

Roudi Chemaa, mourad, Khamar, M., Nounah, A., Benradi, F., & Doughmi, K. (2026). Comparative evaluation of the adsorption performance of sustainable bio-based polymers for Methylene Blue removal: the case of β-Cyclodextrin, Arabic Gum, and Starch in synthetic aqueous solutions. Environmental Research and Technology. Retrieved from https://ertjournal.org/index.php/pub/article/view/470

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Online First

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Research Articles

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