Removal of Eriochrome Black T from Dye Effluents by Corncob and Treated Corncob

¹ Sr. Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, CVR College of Engineering, Hyderabad, India, 501510.
² Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India, 796004.
³ Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, CVR College of Engineering, Hyderabad, India, 501510.
⁴ Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, VSB Engineering College, Karur, Tamilnadu, India, 639111.

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 3 August 2026

Abstract

Eriochrome Black T (EBT) is extensively utilized in the industrial sector for dyeing and printing on materials such as nylon, silk, wool, and leather. The wastewater generated from these processes is deemed toxic and poses a significant carcinogenic threat to both humans and aquatic organisms if released untreated into water bodies. In a batch kinetic study, the effectiveness of removing EBT from wastewater using Corn Cob (CC) and Sodium Carbonate-Corn Cob (NCC) was evaluated. Various factors, including RPM, temperature, pH, initial dye concentration, contact time, and absorbent dosage, were examined. The adsorption of EBT dye onto CC and NCC was found to be highly dependent on pH, with an optimal level around 5. The removal efficiency decreased with rising temperatures, with room temperature being identified as optimal. Generally, the removal rate improved with an increase in RPM, but no further improvement was observed beyond 300 RPM. Increasing the absorbent dose from 1 to 3 g/l enhanced the removal of EBT dye, with no additional benefit from further dosage increases. Contact time also played a crucial role; as it increased, so did the removal rate of EBT, although the efficiency plateaued after 90 minutes. It was found that CC and NCC could remove 80% and 85% of the EBT dye, respectively, under optimum parameter conditions. Both CC and NCC demonstrated satisfactory removal rates for EBT dye, offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive activated carbon.