Application of least squares support vector regression and linear multiple regression for modeling removal of methyl orange onto tin oxide nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon and activated carbon prepared from Pistacia atlantica wood.

Two novel and eco friendly adsorbents namely tin oxide nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon (SnO2-NP-AC) and activated carbon prepared from wood tree Pistacia atlantica (AC-PAW) were used for the rapid removal and fast adsorption of methyl orange (MO) from the aqueous phase. The dependency of MO removal with various adsorption influential parameters was well modeled and optimized using multiple linear regressions (MLR) and least squares support vector regression (LSSVR). The optimal parameters for the LSSVR model were found based on γ value of 0.76 and σ(2) of 0.15. For testing the data set, the mean square error (MSE) values of 0.0010 and the coefficient of determination (R(2)) values of 0.976 were obtained for LSSVR model, and the MSE value of 0.0037 and the R(2) value of 0.897 were obtained for the MLR model. The adsorption equilibrium and kinetic data was found to be well fitted and in good agreement with Langmuir isotherm model and second-order equation and intra-particle diffusion models respectively. The small amount of the proposed SnO2-NP-AC and AC-PAW (0.015 g and 0.08 g) is applicable for successful rapid removal of methyl orange (>95%). The maximum adsorption capacity for SnO2-NP-AC and AC-PAW was 250 mg g(-1) and 125 mg g(-1) respectively.