Assessment of food processing and pharmaceutical industrial wastes as potential biosorbents: a review

Mandarin biochar-CO-TETA was utilized for Acid Red 73 dye adsorption from water, and its isotherm and kinetic studies were investigated

Environmental pollution is a major issue today due to the release of dyestuff waste into the environment through industrial wastewater. There is a need for affordable and effective adsorbents to remove harmful dyes from industrial waste. In this study, Mandarin biochar-CO-TETA (MBCOT) adsorbent was prepared and used to remove Acid Red 73 (AR73) dye from aqueous solutions. The efficiency of dye removal was influenced by various factors such as solution pH, contact time, initial AR73 dye concentration, and MBCOT dosage. All experiments were conducted at 25 ± 2 °C, and the optimal pH was determined to be 1.5. The optimal conditions for dye removal were found to be an AR73 dye concentration of 100 mg/L, an MBCOT dosage of 1.5 g/L, and a contact time of 150 min, resulting in a 98.08% removal rate. Various models such as pseudo-first-order (PFO), pseudo-second-order (PSO), film diffusion (FD), and intraparticle diffusion (IPD) were used to determine the adsorption kinetics of AR73 dye onto MBCOT. The results showed that the PSO model best explains the AR73 dye adsorption. Furthermore, Langmuir and Freundlich's isotherm models were studied to explain the adsorption mechanism using experimental data. The adsorption capacities at equilibrium (qe) in eliminating AR73 dye varied from 92.05 to 32.15, 128.9 to 65.39, 129.25 to 91.69, 123.73 to 111.77, and 130.54 to 125.01 mg/g. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) was found to be 140.85 mg/g. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that biochar produced from mandarin peels has the potential to be an effective and promising adsorbent for removing AR73 dye from water.

Mono- and Multicomponent Biosorption of Caffeine and Salicylic Acid onto Processed Cape Gooseberry Husk Agri-Food Waste

There is an increasing need to find cost-effective and sustainable solutions for treating wastewater from contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). In this regard, cape gooseberry husk-typically an agri-food waste-is investigated for the first time as a potential biosorbent for the removal of model pharmaceutical contaminants of caffeine (CA) and salicylic acid (SA) from water. Three different preparations of husks were investigated and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, zeta potential, and point of zero charge measurements. The activation of the husk led to an increase in the surface area, pore volume, average pore size, and adsorption favorability. The single-component adsorption of SA and CA onto the three husks was investigated at different initial concentrations and pH values to determine the optimal operating conditions. The maximal removal efficiencies of SA and CA reached up to 85 and 63%, respectively, for the optimal husk which also offers a less energy-intensive option in its activation. This husk also exhibited high rates of adsorption that exceeded other husk preparations by up to four times. It was proposed that CA interacts electrostatically with the husk, while SA binds through weak physical interactions (e.g., van der Waals and H-bonding). In binary systems, CA adsorption was highly favored over SA adsorption, owing to its electrostatic interactions. The selectivity coefficients α_SA^CA varied with initial concentration and ranged between 61 and 627. The regeneration of husk was also successful resulting in its re-use for up to four full consecutive cycles, further demonstrating the efficiency of cape gooseberry husk use in wastewater treatment.

Polymeric Biomass Derived Adsorbents for Co(II) Remediation, Recycling and Analysis

The gradual replacement of conventional materials with materials tailored to the green development goals is one of the needs of the day. Correspondingly, this article reviews and integrates, for the first time, the gathered knowledge on the use of the adsorbents based on polymeric biomasses (biosorbents) for a cleaner separation of cobalt (Co) from synthetic and actual solutions. It is a two-part comprehensive approach that debates the Co biosorption potential of bio-based polymers from the perspective of their virtual and real applications for decontamination, recovery, and analytical purposes. First, the removal performances of these materials to batch and fixed column biosorption of Co(II) from mono-component and multi-metallic laboratory solutions are systematized and discussed. Following that, the focus of the first part is shifted to the analytical capabilities of the biosorbents proposed for Co(II) quantification from synthetic solutions. The second section considers the polymeric biomasses successfully incorporated in practical strategies for the removal and recovery of Co(II) from real solutions. The opportunities provided by the use of biosorbents for the development of accurate and greener procedures in Co(II) analysis are also highlighted. The directions in which the research on this topic should be continued and strengthened are suggested.

Novel approach for effective removal of methylene blue dye from water using fava bean peel waste

Fava bean peels, Vicia faba (FBP) are investigated as biosorbents for the removal of Methylene Blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions through a novel and efficient sorption process utilizing ultrasonic-assisted (US) shaking. Ultrasonication remarkably enhanced sorption rate relative to conventional (CV) shaking, while maintaining the same sorption capacity. Ultrasonic sorption rate amounted to four times higher than its conventional counterpart at 3.6 mg/L initial dye concentration, 5 g/L adsorbent dose, and pH 5.8. Under the same adsorbent dose and pH conditions, percent removal ranged between 70-80% at the low dye concentration range (3.6-25 mg/L) and reached about 90% at 50 mg/L of the initial dye concentration. According to the Langmuir model, maximum sorption capacity was estimated to be 140 mg/g. A multiple linear regression statistical model revealed that adsorption was significantly affected by initial concentration, adsorbent dose and time. FBP could be successfully utilized as a low-cost biosorbent for the removal of MB from wastewater via US biosorption as an alternative to CV sorption. US biosorption yields the same sorption capacities as CV biosorption, but with significant reduction in operational times.

Overview of Emerging Contaminants and Associated Human Health Effects

In recent decades, because of significant progress in the analysis and detection of trace pollutants, emerging contaminants have been discovered and quantified in living beings and diverse environmental substances; however, the adverse effects of environmental exposure on the general population are largely unknown. This review summarizes the conclusions of the comprehensive epidemic literature and representative case reports relevant to emerging contaminants and the human body to address concerns about potential harmful health effects in the general population. The most prevalent emerging contaminants include perfluorinated compounds, water disinfection byproducts, gasoline additives, manufactured nanomaterials, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, and UV-filters. Rare but statistically meaningful connections have been reported for a number of contaminants and cancer and reproductive risks. Because of contradictions in the outcomes of some investigations and the limited number of articles, no significant conclusions regarding the relationship between adverse effects on humans and extents of exposure can be drawn at this time. Here, we report that the current evidence is not conclusive and comprehensive and suggest prospective cohort studies in the future to evaluate the associations between human health outcomes and emerging environmental contaminants.