Advancing eco-friendly adsorption: a sustainable approach for rapid and efficient methylene blue removal

Synthetic dyes, particularly methylene blue (MB), pose significant environmental challenges due to their persistent presence in water bodies. This study introduces a sustainable polymer adsorbent, poly(LIM-co-DVB-co-AcM), synthesized using d-limonene and 4-acryloylmorpholine. Comprehensive characterization using FTIR, SEM, TGA, and BET analysis revealed its thermal stability, surface morphology, and adsorption properties. Adsorption experiments demonstrated optimal MB removal at pH 7.0 with a 20 mg dosage and a 60-min contact time. The Langmuir isotherm model showed monolayer adsorption with a capacity of 54.2 mg g-1, while kinetic studies confirmed the suitability of the pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamic analysis indicated a spontaneous and exothermic process. The polymer achieved over 99% MB removal efficiency across diverse water matrices, highlighting its potential as a scalable and eco-friendly solution for water purification.