Biomass-based water purification: A simple and novel one-pot process for converting date palm mesh fibers into a valuable nanomagnetic composite for water treatment

Abstract

A novel magnetic nanocomposite was successfully synthesized using date palm mesh fiber waste as a sustainable substrate. This green and cost-effective approach produced a nanocomposite characterized by various techniques. The BET-specific surface area and total pore volume of the magnetic nanocomposite were 19.46 m2/g and 0.099 m3/g, respectively. These values were much higher than the raw substrate. The synthesized magnetic nanocomposite was tested as an adsorbent for removing methylene blue (MB-organic pollutant) and potassium permanganate (MnO4-inorganic pollutant) from water. Optimal conditions (adsorbent dosage, pH, temperature, equilibrium time) for removing MB and MnO4- from water using the magnetic nanocomposite were determined. Under these conditions, the nanocomposite exhibited excellent removal efficiency for MB and MnO4- with ~ 95% and 99%, respectively The experimental data were best fitted by the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model for MB and MnO4- with highest sorption capability of 10.77 and 58.48 mg/g, respectively The applicability of the nanocomposite was examined in various real-water samples and satisfactory results were obtained. The magnetic biosorbent showed good reusability, maintaining 81.3% removal efficiency for MB after eleven consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles using ethanol. It is expected that this high-capacity, recyclable magnetic adsorbent can potentially offer a promising, facile, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly route to pollutant water treatment.