Modified biochar from Moringa seed powder for the removal of diclofenac from aqueous solution.

In this study, Moringa seed powder (M) was pyrolyzed at 450 °C to synthesize Moringa seed powder biochar (MB) and treated with phosphoric acid (HPO) to synthesize phosphate-modified Moringa seed powder biochar (MB-HPO) as an adsorbent for the removal of diclofenac (Dfc) from aqueous solution. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and pH point of zero charge (pH) were conducted to give more insight into the adsorbent's properties. The SEM analysis showed the transformations in the surface morphology from the parent material to the synthesized materials after the thermal and acid treatment.

Synthesis of clay-cellulose biocomposite for the removal of toxic metal ions from aqueous medium.

Clay-cellulose biocomposite (CCB) was synthesized in the present study. Spin and pressure-induced heating was applied to aggregate exfoliated clay tubules and cellulose using polyethylene glycol as an intermediate. The synthesized CCB was modified in the presence of NaOH at high temperature to obtain negative surface charge on the adsorbent.

A comparative study of magnetic chitosan (Chi@FeO) and graphene oxide modified magnetic chitosan (Chi@FeOGO) nanocomposites for efficient removal of Cr(VI) from water.

Magnetic chitosan (Chi@FeO) nanocomposite was synthesized and modified with graphene oxide (Chi@FeOGO) and the potential of both materials as adsorbents was assessed for the removal of chromium (Cr(VI)) from water. The physico-chemical characteristics of magnetic nanocomposites were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The synthesized adsorbents exhibited varied Cr(VI) removal efficiency at solution pH 2.

Facile functionalization of cellulose from discarded cigarette butts for the removal of diclofenac from water.

In this study, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were extracted from discarded cigarette butts (DCBs), and investigated for their efficiency for diclofenac (Dfc) removal from water. CNFs extraction process involved cleaving of acetyl group by alkali treatment and etched with phosphate ions (HPO) from phosphoric acid to obtain the variably charged HPO-CNFs. To obtain CNCs, sulfuric acid was used to cleave phenol moieties from CNFs under high temperature and agitation.

Synthesis of S-ligand tethered cellulose nanofibers for efficient removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions from synthetic and industrial wastewater.

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) tethered with sulphur as anionic ligand were synthesized from medical absorbent cotton by dissolution with NaOH, CO(NH)₂ followed by mechanical intrusion of sulphur from SC(NH₂)₂ at an elevated temperature. The solid-phase CNFs embedded with sulphur complexes possessed negative sites which were used to remove cationic metals viz., Pb(II) and Cd(II) from synthetic and industrial wastewater.

Pretreatment assisted synthesis and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibers from absorbent cotton.

In this work, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized from absorbent cotton. Two pretreatments viz. dewaxing and bleaching with mild alkali were applied to the precursor (cotton).