Gelation of Textile Dye Solution Treated with Fish Scales

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Waste Management

Background:

• Fish scales (FS) are a significant, underutilized waste product from the fishing industry.
• Textile industry wastewater contains various dyes, posing environmental challenges.
• Developing sustainable methods for dye removal and wastewater treatment is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the commercial value of fish scales (FS) by exploring their gelation capability.
• To assess the efficacy of FS in removing textile dyes (AR1, AB45, AY127) via absorption.
• To evaluate the potential of FS-derived gels in textile wastewater treatment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fish scales (pristine and pulverized) for dye absorption from simulated textile dye solutions.
• Confirmed dye absorption using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.
• Quantified dye removal using UV-visible spectroscopy and characterized the resulting gel's rheological properties.

Main Results:

• Fish scales effectively absorbed textile dyes (AR1, AB45, AY127).
• A gelation phenomenon was observed in the treated dye solutions containing acid and salt.
• Pristine FS demonstrated superior gelation efficacy compared to pulverized FS.

Conclusions:

• Fish scales possess a unique gelation capability when used for dye removal in acidic and saline conditions.
• This gelation process presents a promising, cost-effective approach for textile wastewater treatment.
• The findings suggest potential applications for fish scale-derived gels in sustainable waste management.