Bio Polyhydroxybutyrate /Fiber castor Oil Hybrid Composite (CO-BPFHC) as adsorbent for simultaneous removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI) from wastewater: mechanistic insights and thermodynamic evaluation
摘要
Simultaneous contamination of industrial effluent discharges with Pb, Cd, and Cr(VI) poses a critical threat to the environment due to their toxicological profile, nonbiodegradability, and potential for causing cancer. Herein, a bio polymer/fiber hybrid composite (CO-BPFHC) derived from castor oil and prepared via isophoronediisocyanate (IPDI)-mediated urethane polymerization on a scaffold of alkali treated sisal/jute bi fibers is introduced for the simultaneous adsorptive removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI) from contaminated industrial wastewater. Extensive characterization of CO-BPFHC was carried out using FTIR, XRD, SEM–EDS, TEM, BET, TGA, DSC, zeta potential, particle size analysis, and pHpzc measurements to prove a hierarchical mesoporous architecture (SBET = 418.3 m2 g−1), high thermal stability (T5% = 251°C), and a high density multifunctional surface for adsorption. A key and innovative aspect of the work is the proof of the adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) by electrostatic attraction and complexation under mildly acidic conditions (pH 5–6), whereas the adsorption of Cr(VI) occurs by a reduction adsorption mechanism involving the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by the electron donating groups of the bio polymer matrix, followed by the complexation of the reduced Cr(III) species by the adsorption sites of the adsorbent. The combined spectroscopic, kinetic, and thermodynamic analyses suggest that adsorption occurs through a combination of electrostatic interactions, surface complexation, and redox assisted pathways, particularly for Cr(VI). The Langmuir adsorption capacities of the adsorbent reached 591.4, 432.7, and 387.6 mg g−1 for Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cr(VI), respectively, demonstrating competitive adsorption performance compared with recently reported bio based adsorbents. The adsorption kinetics of the metal ions by the adsorbent follows the pseudo second order kinetics (R2 > 0.999). Thermodynamic calculations confirm the spontaneous adsorption of the metal ions by the adsorbent under endothermic conditions for Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions, whereas the adsorption of Cr(VI) occurs by a spontaneous exothermic process. The adsorbent is found to retain.