Abstract
In the current study, the sand collected from a specific location called Ruba Al-Khali in Saudi Arabia has been identified and efficiently used for the removal of dye contaminate through adsorption process. It was found that the crystalline SiO2 (including quartz and cristobalite SiO2) is the major component in the micrometer-sized sand adsorbent with lava-like rough surface. Batch adsorption experiments were investigated and discussed by using Rhodamine B (RhB) as the model toxic contaminant. The adsorption of RhB with the exothermic nature is considered to be more favorably by the pseudo-second-order model. The corresponding adsorption capacity at room temperature is examined at around 2.94 mg g(-1) by Langmuir fitting. Furthermore, the effects of empty bed contact time, initial concentration, and the pH value of RhB solution on the breakthrough point in the column adsorption process were investigated.