The use of insoluble matter of Moroccan oil shale for removal of dyes from aqueous solution

Abstract

The study aims to use an adsorbent natural based of Moroccan oil shale of Timahdit area (Y layer) in a physical-chemical adsorption process for treating industrial discharges colorful. The used adsorbent is the insoluble party of the sub-critical extraction of decarbonized oil shale of Timahdit. The tests performed on the methylene blue (MB), showed a strong elimination in the first 10 minutes. The influences of various experimental parameters were studied: mass ratio of adsorbent, time and temperature of thermal treatment, contact time, pH of MB and heating temperature of solution on the parameters of material were studied. The experimental results have shown that the adsorption of methylene blue dye by the adsorbent is more than 90% at initial pH a range 6-7 at room temperature for 30 minutes. The process is simple and the adsorbent produced is a new material with interesting adsorption capacities of moderate cost which does not require an activating agent and can be used as industrial adsorbent for the decontamination of effluents containing organic pollutants.