LAUSR

Abstract In this work, three renewable highly effective adsorbents (M-CS, M-CCL, M-CCSD) were prepared from agro-forestry residues (corn stalks (CS), Cinnamomum camphora leave (CCL) and Cinnamomum camphora saw dust (CCSD)) by eco-friendly solvent-free esterification with maleic anhydride (MA) for adsorptive removal of methylene blue (MB). The three carboxyl-rich adsorbents adsorbed MB rapidly and presented remarkable adsorption performance towards MB. The maximum adsorption capacity reached 870, 741, 787 mg/g respectively according to Langmuir isotherm model. The pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models were more suitable to descript the adsorption processes of MB on M-CS, M-CCL, M-CCSD. Moreover, electrostatic attraction and ion exchange could be involved in adsorption of MB on M-CS, M-CCL, M-CCSD. The adsorption capacity of M-CS, M-CCL, M-CCSD decreased about 4%, 4%, 3% respectively after 4 desorption-resorption cycles. Therefore, M-CS, M-CCL, M-CCSD can be used as sustainable and promising adsorbents with good reusability for highly effective removal of MB in effluent.