Research to develop the ability to remove As(III) ions in water of an environmentally friendly hybrid material based on bacterial cellulose and graphene oxide

Abstract

The nanocomposite material bacterial cellulose/graphene oxide (BC/GO) is fabricated using bacterial cellulose derived from coconut husk biomass. The nano cellulose fibers retain their natural structure and intertwine with graphene oxide. The SEM method confirms the interwoven structure between the nanocellulose fibers and graphene oxide. As the proportion of graphene oxide increases, the tensile strength of the material improves, peaking at 95.68 MPa with a BC:GO ratio of 1:7. Additionally, the Young's modulus measures at 12.87 GPa. Post fabrication, the BC/GO membrane undergoes structural and mechanical property evaluations and is tested for its ability to remove As(III) ions from water. Parameters like adsorption capacity, contact time, adsorbent mass, pH values, and stirring rate are assessed for their influence on the adsorption efficiency. Results indicate that the BC/GO-3 material (BC/GO volume ratio of 1:7) exhibits the most promising performance, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 18.69 mg g⁻¹ at pH=6,40 °C (313 K), an optimum adsorption time of 160 min, a stirring rate of 150 rpm, and an appropriate adsorbent mass of 0.10 g. The Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models are found to fit well with the adsorption process based on regression coefficients, suggesting their suitability in describing the adsorption behavior. Additionally, GO/BC demonstrates high efficiency in the regeneration and recovery of As(III) metal ions, as well as a high adsorption capacity.