Synthesis of Fe3O4 Modified Termite Mound Composite for Adsorption of Basic Blue 41 Dye from Textile Wastewater: Characterization and Box-Behnken Optimization

The discharge of textile effluents containing dyes poses severe environmental risks. This study aimed to develop a Fe_3 O_4–HTM (magnetite–heat-activated termite mound) composite via the coprecipitation method for the adsorption of Basic Blue 41 (BB41) dye from textile wastewater under batch conditions. The Fe_3 O_4–HTM composite was characterized using BET (surface area), XRD (crystalline structure), FTIR (functional groups), and SEM (microstructure) analyses, confirming the successful synthesis of Fe_3 O_4–HTM. Comprising 80% HTM by mass, the composite demonstrates economic viability. Using batch experiments and a Box-Behnken design, the adsorption performance of Fe_3 O_4–HTM for BB41 dye removal from aqueous solutions was evaluated. Optimization of the sorption process revealed that a dosage of 2.6 g/L, a contact time of 47.5 minutes, a temperature of 60°C, and an initial dye concentration of 100 mg/L resulted in a BB41 dye removal efficiency of 98%. Additionally, Fe_3 O_4–HTM effectively removed BB41 dye from real wastewater samples, achieving a removal efficiency exceeding 80%, highlighting the improved sorption properties of the modified termite mound. The spent Fe_3 O_4–HTM was easily separated from the treated solution using an external magnet and successfully recovered. Its reusability demonstrated a dye removal efficiency of 78% after four cycles, without compromising its magnetic properties. Overall, the magnetically separable Fe_3 O_4–HTM composite shows significant potential for the treatment of textile wastewater.