Bacterial nanocellulose-clay film as an eco-friendly sorbent for superior pollutants removal from aqueous solutions

Abstract

The persistent water treatment and separation challenge necessitates innovative and sustainable advances to tackle conventional and emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment effectively. Therefore, a unique three-dimensional (3D) network composite film (B^NC-KC) comprised of bacterial nanocellulose (B^NC) incorporated nano-kaolinite clay particles (KC) was successfully synthesized via an in-situ approach. The microscopic characterization of B^NC-KC revealed an effective integration of KC within the 3D matrix of B^NC. The investigated mechanical properties of B^NC-KC demonstrated a better performance compared to B^NC. Thereafter, the sorption performance of B^NC-KC films towards basic blue 9 dye (Bb9) and norfloxacin (NFX) antibiotic from water was investigated. The maximum sorption capacities of B^NC-KC for Bb9 and NFX were 127.64 and 101.68 mg/g, respectively. Mechanistic studies showed that electrostatic interactions, multi-layered sorption, and 3D structure are pivotal in the NFX/Bb9 sorption process. The intricate architecture of B^NC-KC effectively traps molecules within the interlayer spaces, significantly increasing sorption efficiency. The distinctive structural configuration of B^NC-KC films effectively addressed the challenges of post-water treatment separation while concurrently mitigating waste generation. The environmental evaluation, engineering, and economic feasibility of B^NC-KC are also discussed. The cost estimation assessment of B^NC-KC revealed the potential to remove NFX and Bb9 from water at an economically viable cost.