Composite nanofibers membranes produced by solution blow spinning modified with CO2-activated sugarcane bagasse fly ash for efficient removal of water pollutants

Author(s)

Alvarenga, Augusto Duarte ^{[1, 2]} ; Correa, Daniel Souza ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Embrapa Instrumentacao, Nanotechnol Natl Lab Agr LNNA, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Ctr Exact Sci & Technol, PPG Biotec, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION; v. 285, FEB 20 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

The rapid growth of industrialization and changes of consumption patterns of population has increased the production and release of emerging pollutants in water resources, which can affect human health and generate severe environmental impacts. In order to tackle these problems, the development of efficient and low-cost adsorbents for water purification application becomes primordial. Here, polyamide 6 (PA6) nanofiber mats produced by solution blow spinning (SBS) was modified with sugarcane bagasse fly ash without (SBFA) and with activation (SBFAA) at 800 degrees C under CO2 atmosphere. The developed nanofiber mats were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, particle size distribution and zeta potential, dynamic mechanical analysis, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric (TGA). SBFA and SBFAA were used as a low cost adsorbent for removing dyes (used as a model) from water in batch tests, reaching the efficiencies of 45.68 mg g(-1) and 186.46 mg g(-1), respectively. The PA6 mats modified with the SBFA and SBFAA were used in fixed bed adsorption tests using the Bohart Adams model. In addition, the influence of ash conditioning in water and ethanol to modify adsorptive capability of nanofiber mats was investigated in fixed bed, revealing that ethanol conditioning increased adsorption efficiency in 30%, which was maintained for at least 14 cycles. The results demonstrate that nanofiber membranes produced by solution blow spinning which are surface-modified with sugarcane bagasse fly ash can be a sustainable alternative for designing highly efficient and low-cost adsorbents for removal of dyes and other contaminants from water resources. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/12174-4 - Development of hybrid polymer nanofibers for agricultural applications
• Grantee: Daniel Souza Corrêa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants