Date of Graduation

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Chemical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

Dr. Keisha Bishop Walters

Abstract

Water scarcity and pollution are escalating global challenges, with textile industry wastewater often enriched with toxic dyes posing significant risks to environmental and human health. These contaminants increase turbidity, reduce dissolved oxygen levels, and ultimately impair aquatic ecosystems. This thesis focuses on the remediation of dye-contaminated water using nanoscale polymeric adsorbents. Methyl orange, a common anionic dye widely used in textile and leather industries, was selected as the model contaminant due to its terminal sulfonate group, which enables strong electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with cationic functional materials.

In this work, magnetic nanoparticles grafted with cationic polymers were synthesized and evaluated for their dye adsorption performance. Two polymers, poly(vinyl imidazole) and poly(vinylbenzyl chloride), were surface-grafted and subsequently quaternized to impart permanent positive charge, ensuring strong affinity toward anionic dye molecules across varying pH conditions. Comprehensive characterization using zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed successful polymer grafting, enhanced surface charge, chemical composition, and thermal stability.

Batch adsorption studies were conducted to assess dye removal performance as a function of contact time, adsorbent dosage, and solution pH. Kinetic modeling was performed to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms governing dye uptake. Under optimized conditions, the poly(vinyl imidazole)-grafted nanosorbent achieved a maximum removal efficiency of 97%, while its poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) counterpart reached 74%. Additionally, magnetic separation and regeneration tests demonstrated excellent recyclability and operational stability. Overall, the developed cationic polymer grafted magnetic nanoparticles provide a highly efficient, magnetically recoverable, and reusable platform for the remediation of anionic dye pollutants, offering strong potential for scalable wastewater treatment applications.

Keywords

Water remediation; materials science; magnetic nanoparticles; dye adsorption; environmental nanotechnology; polymer grafting

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