Abstract
This study evaluates the potential of Crambe abyssinica press cake, a residue from crambe oil extraction and/or biodiesel
production, as an adsorbent for removal of cationic dyes from wastewaters. Batch adsorption tests were performed at 30, 40 and
50oC. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium were satisfactorily described by the pseudo second-order and Freundlich models,
respectively. Adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic. Fixed bed adsorption (breakthrough curve) was satisfactorily
described by the Dose-Response model. The obtained values of maximum adsorption capacity were 79.7 and 102.5 mg g-1 in
batch and continuous systems, respectively. Adsorption tests showed that crambe press cake, without any thermal treatment,
presented higher adsorption capacity than activated carbons produced from other oilseed press cakes (sunflower, coffee and
Raphanus sativus), confirming that this type of waste material is a suitable candidate for use in the production of adsorbents.