Study of Diatomite adsorption capacity of sig (Mascara): application in the abatement of the pollutant Rhodamine B

Abstract

The present work is a continuation of the research carried out by previous researchers and a modest contribution to the many attempts made by environmental scientists to eliminate toxic pollutants. We chose diatomite from among all the natural resources because it is abundant in Algeria from Mascara (SIG), is cheaper, and has physico-chemical properties that allow its use in several applications. Our study focused on the optimization of diatomite (Kieselguhr) for the adsorption of Rhodamine B (a pollutant). Several properties of the diatomite were determined using characterization techniques such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR, and UV-vis. Two treatments were applied to the diatomite to increase its capacity to adsorb Rhodamine B: a thermal treatment in which we increased the temperature of the diatomite to several temperatures (75°C, 100°C, 150°C, and 200°C) and a chemical treatment (treatment with a mixture of H3PO4 and HCl). The results obtained by the two treatments showed good visible and invisible results, such as UV-vis and FTIR analyses, and the diatomite changed color from white to violet, indicating its adsorption to Rhodamine B.