The equilibrium and thermodynamics of azo dye (tartrazine and allura red) biosorption onto Spirulina platensis biomass were investigated. The equilibrium curves were obtained at 298, 308, 318 and 328 K, and four isotherm models were fitted the experimental data. Biosorption thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH and ΔS) were estimated. The results showed that the biosorption was favored by a temperature decrease. For both dyes, the Sips model was the best to represent the equilibrium experimental data (R²>0.99 and ARE<5.0%) and the maximum biosorption capacities were 363.2 and 468.7 mg g-1 for tartrazine and allura red, respectively, obtained at 298 K. The negative values of ΔG and ΔH showed that the biosorption of both dyes was spontaneous, favorable and exothermic. The positive values of ΔS suggested that the system disorder increases during the biosorption process.

Chitosan is a natural polymer that has been employed in dye adsorption. In this work, adsorption and thermodynamic data for the interaction of FD&C Red n° 40 food dye with chitosan in aqueous solutions were investigated. The equilibrium adsorption isotherms were determined by the batch method, from 298 to 338 K. Adsorption data were adjusted to five isotherm models: Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich, in order to determine which presented the best adjustment to the experimental data. Error analysis showed that the Langmuir isotherm model was the most appropriate for fitting the experimental data, with a maximum monolayer adsorption of 3065.8 µmol g-1 at 308 K. Negative enthalpy (-112.7 kJ mol-1), entropy (-0.338 kJ mol-1 K-1) and Gibbs free energy (-15.6 to 1.0 kJ mol-1) values demonstrated that the adsorption process is exothermic, spontaneous, favorable, and that randomness of the system decreases during the adsorption process.

In recent times, the microalgae Spirulina platensis has been used as a functional ingredient in several food applications; its process involving drying and storage steps. Moisture equilibrium data for adsorption isotherms of microalgae Spirulina were investigated at 10, 20 and 30ºC and for desorption, at 40, 50 and 60ºC, using the gravimetric static method. The experimental data were analyzed by GAB and BET models. The GAB equation showed the best fitting to the experimental data with R² ≈ 99% and MRE < 10%. The water surface area values calculated by GAB and BET models were very similar. The isosteric heats were determined by application of Clausius-Clapeyron equation to sorption isotherms obtained from the best-fitting equation. The isosteric heat and the entropy of desorption isotherm presented similar behavior, with a sharp change in an equilibrium moisture content of 10%. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory was applied to the isotherms, indicating that they are enthalpy-controlled.