Cellulose Sulfate Nanofibers for Enhanced Ammonium Removal

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Cellulose-based materials are increasingly explored for environmental applications.
• Developing efficient adsorbents for ammonium removal is crucial for water purification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize cellulose sulfate nanofibers (CSNFs) from raw jute fibers using a sulfonation approach.
• To investigate the effect of sulfonation degree on CSNF properties and ammonium adsorption capacity.

Main Methods:

• Sulfonation of raw jute fibers using chlorosulfonic acid (CSA) to produce CSNFs.
• Characterization of CSNFs, including elemental sulfur content, zeta potential, and crystallinity.
• Evaluation of ammonium adsorption capacity using the Langmuir isotherm model across a range of pH values.

Main Results:

• Increased CSA content led to higher elemental sulfur content and zeta potential in CSNFs.
• Higher CSA content resulted in decreased CSNF crystallinity due to cellulose chain degradation.
• CSNFs demonstrated a maximum ammonium adsorption capacity of 41.1 mg/g at neutral pH.
• High ammonium adsorption capacity was maintained in an acidic range (pH 2.5–6.5).

Conclusions:

• The sulfonation method effectively produces CSNFs from jute fibers with tunable properties.
• CSNFs exhibit excellent ammonium adsorption performance, comparable to synthetic hydrogels.
• The broad pH stability of ammonium adsorption makes CSNFs promising for wastewater treatment.