Dyes have been indispensable to textile products since ancient times. However, dyeing processes could generate colored effluents that could pose a hazard to health and the environment. Therefore, dye exhaust needs to be treated, prior to disposal, to decrease potential adverse impact. Polymers are frequently used in treating dye effluent. However, most used polymer adsorbents result in dye-sludge upon treatment and are non-reusable. Herein, we describe a method that employs a re-usable synthetic polymer to remove dyes from aqueous solution repeatedly. We demonstrate that a polycarbodiimide can complex with acid dyes in solution and remove the dyes from their aqueous solution at low acidic pH, leaving visibly clean water. Later, the dyes can be released from the polymer-dye complex at a basic pH, regenerating the polymer. The absorption and desorption of the dye by the polymer under mild pH modulation allows for the potential reuse of both the dye and polymer.

Polymer facilitates in cleaning dye-contaminated aqueous solution into clean water

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