Synergistic Effect
of Bentonite-TiO₂-GO Hybrid Composite for High-Performance Adsorption and Photodegradation
of Methylene Blue
Said M., Buand N., Alfarado D., Fatma F. and Nurnawati E.
Res. J. Chem. Environ.; Vol. 29(11); 1-8;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/2911rjce0108; (2025)
Abstract
This study focuses on synthesizing and characterizing Bentonite-TiO₂-GO composite
as an advanced material for removing methylene blue dye from aqueous solution. Methylene
blue, a commonly used dye in the textile industry, contributes significantly to
water pollution when discharged as wastewater, posing serious threats to human health
and aquatic ecosystems. To mitigate this problem, adsorption and photocatalytic
degradation methods are used as effective strategies for dye removal. This study
modified bentonite with TiO₂ and graphene oxide (GO) to increase its surface area,
introduce active sites and enhance its photocatalytic adsorption efficiency. The
synthesized (Bentonite-TiO₂)-GO composite was characterized using X-ray diffraction
(XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which confirmed the successful formation
of the composite.
The optimal conditions for removing methylene blue were achieved at an initial dye
concentration of 1 mg/L, with a contact time of 30 min and an adsorbent dosage of
25 mg. The highest adsorption efficiency was recorded at 87.98% in dark conditions
and 89.70% under UV irradiation. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherm analysis showed
that the composite followed the Langmuir and Freundlich models, indicating a combination
of monolayer and multilayer adsorption mechanisms. These findings highlight the
potential of Bentonite-TiO₂-GO composite as an efficient and sustainable solution
for dye wastewater treatment.
