ENHANCING TEXTILE WASTEWATER DECOLORIZATION USING GEOPOLYMERS DERIVED FROM FLY ASH WITH VARYING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE CONTENT

Year 2025, Volume: 26 Issue: 3, 346 - 362, 25.09.2025

Murat Kasaplar , Ümran Tezcan Ün , Evren Arıöz

https://doi.org/10.18038/estubtda.1551227

Abstract

This study investigates the production and application of geopolymers derived from fly ash, a byproduct of thermal power plants, for the treatment of textile wastewater. Two types of geopolymer adsorbents were synthesized using NaOH and sodium silicate as alkaline activators, with varying amounts of hydrogen peroxide (1 g and 3 g) to evaluate their effectiveness in color removal. The experimental parameters included pH (3, 6, and 9), adsorbent amounts (0.5 g, 1.25 g, and 2 g), and contact times (90, 165, and 240 minutes).

Adsorbent 1 exhibited a color removal efficiency ranging from 57.68% to 81.91%, with optimal conditions at pH 3, 2 g adsorbent, and 165 minutes. Adsorbent 2, with a higher hydrogen peroxide content, showed a superior performance, achieving a color removal efficiency of 59.04% to 88.40%, with optimal conditions at pH 3, 1.92 g adsorbent, and 204 minutes. The maximum color removal efficiency for Adsorbent 2 was 89%, indicating the beneficial impact of increased hydrogen peroxide in the geopolymer synthesis process.

The study concludes that geopolymers produced from industrial waste materials can be highly effective in treating textile wastewater, particularly under acidic conditions with higher adsorbent amounts and sufficient contact time. Adsorbent 2 demonstrated better performance, suggesting the potential for optimization of hydrogen peroxide content in geopolymer formulation to enhance adsorptive properties. These findings support the use of geopolymers as a sustainable and efficient solution for wastewater treatment, contributing to environmental sustainability by repurposing industrial waste. Future research should focus on further optimizing geopolymer composition and exploring additional waste materials for adsorbent production.

Keywords

Geopolymers , Fly ash , Adsorption , Color removal , Response surface methodology

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