High performance adsorption of regenerated cellulose/TEMPO-cellulose for water purification

Water pollution has profoundly damaged the environment and human health, rendering it a persistent and critical environmental concern. Addressing this challenge, this study explored the potential of cellulose as a sustainable adsorbent for water purification. This study introduces regenerated hybrid cellulose beads by compositing native cellulose (C) with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose (TC) to enhance the structural integrity and adsorption performance. The physical and chemical properties of these hybrid beads were characterized and their adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB) dye removal was evaluated. Results showed that beads with higher TC content (1C3TC) achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 69.38 mg/g for MB within 4 h. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis confirmed a multilayer adsorption characteristic (type II isotherm). Adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model, indicating chemisorption and aligned well with the Freundlich isotherm model. Furthermore, C/TC beads exhibited excellent regeneration and reusability over multiple cycles. These findings underscore the hybrid C/TC beads' potential as cost-effective, sustainable adsorbents with high reusability for industrial wastewater treatment, offering an efficient alternative to conventional materials.