Application of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms to predict adsorbate removal efficiency or required amount of adsorbent

•Modeling by combining the isotherm equations with mass balance to predict the removal efficiencies and adsorbent mass required.•Contour plots of predicted removal efficiencies as functions of both initial solute concentration and adsorbent mass. The aim of this study was to investigate how basic adsorption isotherms could be applied to predict removal efficiency or required adsorbent mass under given sets of initial conditions. The intrinsic parameters of the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were experimentally obtained and subsequently utilized to predict removal efficiencies for other sets of initial solute concentrations, solution volumes, and adsorbent masses, or to estimate the adsorbent mass required to remove solute at a desired removal efficiency. This was accomplished by combining the isotherms with mass balance of solutes between liquid solution and solid adsorbent phases.