Removal of Basic and Reactive Dyes Using Modified Rice Hull

Abstract: Rice hull, an agricultural by-product, was modified using ethylenediamine (EDA) to introduce active sites on its surface to enable it to function as a s or bent for both basic and reactive dyes. Optimization of the modification process was carried out. Results indicate that treating rice hull with EDA in a ratio of 1.00 g rice hull to 0.02 moI of EDA in a well stirred water bath at 80°C for 2 hours yielded a material capable of removing both Basic Blue 3 and Reactive Orange 16. Studies on the sorption of single and binary dyes on EDA-modified rice hull (MRH) showed that sorption was pH and concentration dependent. A synergistic effect on sorption was observed in binary dye solutions. Both Langmuir and Freundlich equations were employed to model the sorption behavior of EDA-modified rice hull.