Effective removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solution using Macrolepiota procera mushroom: Experimental and theoretical studies

This study investigated Macrolepiota procera mushroom biomass as a biosorbent for removing methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. Key adsorption parameters such as pH, biosorbent dosage, and contact time were optimized, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 1.404 mol·kg−1 at pH 9, with 100 mg biosorbent and a temperature of 25 °C. SEM, EDX, and FT-IR analyses characterized the biosorbent's surface morphology and functional groups. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm model, showing high affinity in alkaline conditions, and efficiency increased by 90.88 % with 200 mg biosorbent. Kinetic data fit Pseudo-Second and Pseudo-First Order models, and thermodynamics indicated an endothermic, spontaneous process. Recovery tests revealed ∼ 4 % retained activity after five cycles. Density Functional Theory calculations supported experimental adsorption energies, confirming chitin's role in MB binding. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.