Synthesis of a Cu (II) metal ion adsorbent from biomass ash of Chlorophyta algae

A high level of maize production in India has caused algae biomass to form, which is polluting the environment. In recent years, maize husks have become more commonly used as animal feed, whereas maize cobs have not. There is a lot of silica in a material with a 66% silica content. The silica found in biomass ash of Chlorophyta algae can be used to produce silica gel. The purpose of this study is to make and characterize a silica gel derived from corncob ash and to test its adsorption capacity against copper ions (II). Silica gel can be prepared using the sol–gel method, which has proven extremely effective. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction methods were used to characterize silica gel properties. A study that synthesized silica gel using sulfuric acid and acetic acid found that each acid had a water content of 14% and 12%, respectively. According to FTIR- and XRD-based characterizations, the synthesized silica gel has similar functional groups and crystallinity to Kiesel Gel 60G. In comparison to Kiesel Gel 60G or silica gel synthesized with acetic acid, silica gel synthesized with sulfuric acid has a higher adsorption power and efficiency. The novelty of the study is to address environmental pollution resulting from maize production in India. By repurposing underutilized maize cobs and algae biomass ash, a silica gel with high silica content is synthesized via the sol–gel method. Characterization using Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction techniques reveals comparable properties to commercial silica gel. Significantly, silica gel synthesized with sulfuric acid exhibits superior adsorption capacity for copper ions compared to established methods. This innovative study not only offers a sustainable solution to mitigate pollution but also advances the understanding of silica gel synthesis and its potential applications in the environment.