Removal of phenol from aqueous solution by coupling alternating current with biosorption

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Water contamination poses a significant environmental challenge, necessitating cost-effective and efficient remediation strategies.
• Cellulosic fibers offer a sustainable platform for developing biosorbents due to their abundance and tunable properties.
• Hybrid materials integrating nanomaterials can enhance biosorbent performance for pollutant removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate novel hybrid biosorbents from Luffa cylindrica (L.C) and zinc oxide for water decontamination.
• To investigate the efficacy of alternating current (AC) in accelerating the synthesis and enhancing the biosorption performance of these materials.
• To assess the removal of phenol and key water quality parameters (COD, TOC) using the developed biosorbents.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of hybrid L.C-zinc oxide materials via precipitation, with and without AC treatment.
• Biosorption experiments using pure L.C and hybrid materials to remove phenol from aqueous solutions.
• Optimization of biosorption parameters including pH, initial phenol concentration, AC frequency, and contact time.
• Characterization of materials and evaluation of water quality improvements (COD, TOC, germination index).

Main Results:

• The AC-assisted synthesis significantly enhanced the biosorption capacity for phenol, reaching up to 28.9 mg g⁻¹.
• Hybrid materials demonstrated superior removal efficiency for phenol, COD, and TOC compared to pure L.C.
• The coupling of biosorption with AC treatment proved effective in accelerating reaction kinetics and improving biosorption speed.
• Material characterization confirmed the efficiency of the synthesized hybrid materials.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid L.C-zinc oxide biosorbents synthesized with AC show great promise for efficient and low-cost water decontamination.
• AC treatment is a viable method to enhance the performance and reduce the synthesis time of cellulosic-based biosorbents.
• The developed materials effectively improve water quality by removing phenol and reducing organic pollutants.