Microalgal-based macro-hollow loofah fiber bio-composite for methylene blue removal: A promising step for a green...

This study looked into how well the macro-hollow loofah fiber with and without the bio-attaching with green microalga (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii OR242521) was applied methylene blue elimination from water. Based on the results, the biosorption capacity of loofah sponge for methylene blue significantly increased with the increase of contact time, weight of microalgal biofilm, and methylene blue concentration. The maximum biosorption capacity was achieved after 120 min, after 0.042 mgg^-1 biofilm weight, and MB concentration of 140 mgL^-1. Furthermore, methylene blue's biosorption capacity was strongly affected by pH, reaching its maximum at pH 7. The biosorption capacity of the bio-attached loofah sponge was much higher than that of the loofah sponge, revealing that the microalgae bio-attachment enhanced the biosorption capacity of the loofah sponge. At the end of the MB biosorption process, the used bio-attached loofah sponge can still be utilized once more for the same purpose after the desorption of MB but with a lower biosorption capacity. Furthermore, the loofah sponge could also be applied as a bio-sorbent after domestic use. According to this study, the loofah sponge with or without algal biofilm attachment could be applied as a low-cost efficient bio-sorbent for methylene blue removal from water. However, the loofah sponge's ability for biosorption was dramatically increased by the bio-attachment of microalgae, making it a more potent bio-sorbent. Likewise, this study offers insights into the variables influencing the biosorption capacity of loofah sponges and bio-attached loofah sponges, which could be beneficial for enhancing the biosorption processes.