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Biodegradable sponges made from chitin-cellulose nanofibers for sustainable removal of microplastics from aquatic environment
Summary
Researchers developed a biodegradable sponge made from chitin and cellulose nanofibers that can remove up to 93% of microplastics from water. The sponge maintained strong performance after four reuse cycles and naturally biodegraded in soil environments. The study presents a sustainable, eco-friendly approach to cleaning microplastic contamination from aquatic ecosystems without introducing additional persistent pollutants.
• Chitin-based synthesized adsorbent efficiently removed up to 93 % of MPs from water. • The chitin-derived adsorbent shows reusability and strong mechanical performance. • Adsorbent maintained performance after 4 cycles, indicating high adsorption capacity. • Algae tests confirm biocompatibility, adsorbent biodegrades in soil environments. • The biodegradable adsorbent showed optimal MPs removal efficiency at neutral pH. Microplastic (MP) contamination in aquatic ecosystems is a global concern, highlighting the urgent need for innovative remediation solutions. This study introduces a biodegradable chitin-based adsorbent with exceptional compressive resilience under both dry and wet conditions for the removal of MPs from aqueous environments. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), adsorption capacity, kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic, and reusability tests, were employed to evaluate the properties of this environmentally friendly adsorbent. The adsorbents exhibited superior mechanical properties, with compressive strengths ranging from 0.61 to 1.3 MPa in dry conditions, and elasticity retention up to 97 % after multiple compression cycles. Characterized by high water absorption capacity (up to 600 %) and remarkable pore interconnectivity, the sponges efficiently adsorbed functionalized MPs (∼1 µm) in a pH range of 6–8, achieving maximum adsorption efficiencies of 93.07 % for polystyrene (PS), 75.54 % for carboxylate-modified polystyrene (PS-COOH), and 90.17 % for polyamine-modified polystyrene (PS-NH 2 ). Thermodynamic studies confirmed the endothermic and spontaneous nature of the adsorption process, with Δ G ° values reaching −13.48 kJ mol −1 . The sponges maintained 79–88 % efficiency after four regeneration cycles, ensuring cost-effectiveness. Toxicity assessments using Chromochloris zofingiensis demonstrated biocompatibility, while biodegradation experiments indicated up to 92 % mass loss within 28 days, underscoring their environmental sustainability. This research presents a reusable, biocompatible adsorbent for the efficient removal of harmful MPs from water, addressing aquatic pollution and providing a foundation for future investigations.