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New alginate-based interpenetrating polymer networks for water treatment: A response surface methodology based
Eslam G Al-Sakkari1, Omar M Abdeldayem2, Eslam E Genina2
1Chemical Engineering Department, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Canada; Center of Materials Science (CMS), Zewail City of Science and Technology, 12578 Giza, Egypt.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
|April 3, 2020
Summary
New polymeric networks effectively remove heavy metals and dyes from water. These interpenetrating polymeric networks (IPN) show high adsorption capacity and reusability, offering a sustainable solution for water purification.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Industrial wastewater poses significant environmental risks due to heavy metals and dyes.
- Conventional water treatment methods often face challenges in efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
- Developing novel adsorbent materials is crucial for effective water remediation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and optimize interpenetrating polymeric networks (IPN) for heavy metal and dye removal.
- To investigate the impact of preparation factors on adsorption capacity.
- To evaluate the performance of optimized IPNs in real contaminated water.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of IPNs using sodium alginate, carrageenan, and bentonite.
- Optimization of preparation factors (crosslinking time, CaCl2 concentration, mass ratios) using full factorial design and response surface methodology.
- Adsorption studies for methylene blue, Fe3+, Ni2+, and Cr3+.
- Reusability tests and application on real industrial wastewater.
Main Results:
- Optimized IPNs demonstrated high adsorption capacities: 1271 mg/g for methylene blue, 1550 mg/g for Fe3+, 1500 mg/g for Ni2+, and 1540 mg/g for Cr3+.
- Low calcium chloride concentration was found to be optimal, indicating excessive crosslinking hinders removal.
- The materials were reusable up to five cycles with minimal efficiency loss.
- Over 95% removal of heavy metals and 40% of acidic dyes were achieved in real contaminated water samples.
Conclusions:
- Optimized IPNs based on sodium alginate, carrageenan, and bentonite are highly effective for removing heavy metals and dyes.
- The developed materials exhibit excellent adsorption capacity, reusability, and performance in real-world applications.
- These IPNs represent a promising advancement in water treatment technologies for industrial effluent.
