Dyestuff removal with fenton process using natural clay as catalyst

In this study, the use of natural clay as a catalyst was investigated for the removal of Reactive Red 218 (RR218) and Reactive Yellow 95 (RY95) dyes from aqueous solutions by Fenton process. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis techniques were used for the characterization of natural clay. In the adsorption experiments using natural clay, 9% of RR218 and 42% of RY95 were removed at pH 3 value. In the heterogeneous Fenton process, the initial solution pH value, the amount of clay used, the dosage of H2O2, the initial dyestuff concentration, the temperature and the effects of the reusability of the natural clay (catalyst) and the levels of these parameters were investigated. As a result of the experiments, it was observed that the optimum pH was about 3 and the amount of catalyst was 2.25 g. In the experiments where the reusability of the catalyst was tested, natural clay was used in three cycles and it was determined that the removal rates decreased with each use. The results showed that the natural clay used as a catalyst can be used for the removal of RR128 and RY95 by the Fenton process. KEYWORDS: Natural Clay, Fenton Process, Dyestuff, Decolorization, Reactive Red 218, Reactive Yellow 95