Efficient Methylene Blue Removal Using a Mesoporous Triblock Copolymer Adsorbent in Batch and Continuous Adsorption Modes

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions using SBA‐15 mesoporous material based on a symmetrical triblock copolymer in both batch and continuous systems. The synthesis and characterization of SBA‐15 were conducted using various techniques. The effects of multiple factors influencing the discontinuous adsorption capacity were examined. In the batch system, within 60 min, with an adsorbent dose of 230 mg, MB concentration of 15 mg/L, and a pH of 7, an adsorption efficiency of 99% was achieved. The results indicated that the Langmuir model best fits the equilibrium data, while the pseudo‐second‐order model accurately describes the adsorption kinetics during the batch process. The influence of various factors on the curve progression was explored by evaluating kinetic constants and progression curves through the Thomas and Yan models in continuous adsorption. In the continuous system, the highest adsorption capacity and MB removal efficiency, respectively (84 mg/g) and 99%, were obtained with a bed height of 6 cm, initial MB concentration of 30 mg/L, and flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, demonstrating the effectiveness of SBA‐15 in MB removal.