Removal of humic acid from aqueous solution using dual PMMA/PVDF composite nanofiber: kinetics study

The removal of humic acid from aqueous solution using dual poly(methyl methacrylate)/polyvinyl difluoride composite nanofiber under the influence of concentration has been studied. The experiments were performed using humic acid (HA) as an adsorbate at concentration in the range of 50-200 mg/L. Pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion models were used to describe the kinetic data and the rate constants were evaluated. It was observed that the amount of humic acid removed decrease with increasing concentration. The kinetic study revealed that pseudo-second order model fitted well the kinetic data, while the external diffusion or boundary layer diffusion was the main rate determining step in the removal process. (paper)