| ABSTRACT |
Synthetic dyes in textile wastewater pose environmental and health risks due to their toxicity and resistance to biodegradation. This study
developed a novel chitosan-chicken feather (CSCF) biosorbent composite for removing Reactive Orange 16 (RO16) dye from aqueous
solutions. The composite¿s morphology was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), revealing a rough, porous surface
that enhanced dye uptake. Batch adsorption studies evaluated the effects of adsorbent dosage (0.2¿1.0 g), initial dye concentration (50¿400
mg/L), pH (2¿12), and temperature (30¿50°C). The pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R² > 0.93) and Freundlich isotherm model best
described the adsorption, indicating multilayer adsorption on a heterogeneous surface. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed a spontaneous,
endothermic process dominated by physisorption (activation energy: 19.42 kJ/mol). The CSCF biosorbent proved to be a low-cost,
sustainable and efficient solution for dye removal with potential applications in wastewater treatment.
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