Efficient dye removal using manganese oxide-modified nanocellulosic films from sugarcane bagasse

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Industrial wastewater often contains toxic dyes, posing significant environmental risks.
• Effective and sustainable methods for dye removal are crucial for environmental protection.
• Nanocellulose derived from biomass offers a promising platform for adsorbent development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel composite films of manganese oxide-modified nanocellulose (MCel) and unmodified nanocellulose (Cel) for toxic dye removal.
• To evaluate the efficiency of these composite films in removing methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions.
• To explore the potential of sugarcane bagasse as a sustainable source for adsorbent materials.

Main Methods:

• Nanocellulose (Cel) extraction from sugarcane bagasse.
• In-situ synthesis of manganese oxide (MnO2) on nanocellulose to form MCel.
• Fabrication of MCel/Cel composite films with varying ratios.
• Characterization using FTIR, XRD, XPS, FESEM-EDS, and TGA.
• Dye adsorption experiments using methylene blue (MB).

Main Results:

• All MCel/Cel composite films demonstrated over 97% MB removal within 24 hours at an initial concentration of 100 mg/L.
• Adsorbent retrieval was convenient after the adsorption process.
• The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption isotherm aligned with the Langmuir model.
• The optimal 95:5 MCel/Cel film showed a high adsorption capacity of 181.85 mg/g and a rate constant of 6.16 × 10^-4 g/mg/min.

Conclusions:

• MCel/Cel composite films are highly effective adsorbents for removing methylene blue from wastewater.
• The study highlights the successful valorization of sugarcane bagasse into high-performance, eco-friendly adsorbents.
• These findings indicate significant potential for wastewater treatment applications and sustainable waste management.