ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Separation and recovery of dual dye system via bio-polymer based complexation ultrafiltration: optimization using response surface methodology

Kavitha Edward, Irene Parkar, Devanjali Jayan, M. Rohith, and K. Prasanna

Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India

E-mail: kavi0910@gmail.com

Received: 7 July 2025  Accepted: 9 January 2026

Abstract:

Globally, water has become a valuable commodity, and huge volume of wastewater has been generated due to the increasing demand driven by rapid growth in the population and industrialization. Among all the pollutants in wastewater, synthetic dye effluents are more toxic and complex since they are highly resistant to degradation even at lower concentrations. In recent years, membrane separation processes, specifically the complexation ultrafiltration process, have emerged as a promising technology for dye effluent treatment. The biopolymer-based water-soluble complexing species, such as chitosan derivatives, have gained attention due to their abundance and biodegradability. This paper aims to separate the cationic dye malachite green and the anionic dye methyl orange using complexation ultrafiltration process with carboxymethyl chitosan as a complexing medium, which is compatible with both cationic and anionic dyes. The influence of process variables such as initial solution pH, carboxymethyl chitosan-dye ratio (w/w), and initial concentration of dye has been investigated to assess their impact on the dye separation efficiency. The process optimization was performed using Response Surface methodology, and predicted values of percentage retention of dye were compared with the actual values. The complexation ultrafiltration with carboxymethyl chitosan has been demonstrated as a sustainable approach for the treatment of dyes.

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Keywords: Chitosan; Dye effluent; Complexation ultrafiltration; Methyl orange; Malachite green

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04670-3

Chemical Papers 80 (4) 4039–4055 (2026)