Textile Wastewater Purification Using an Elaborated Biosorbent Hybrid Material (Luffa–Cylindrica–Zinc Oxide) Assisted by Alternating Current

Abstract

This paper aims to synthesize hybrid materials with high pollutant-uptake capacity and low costbased based on Luffa cylindrica (L.C) and different percentage of Zn2+ in the presence and absence of alternating current (AC). Physico-chemical, morphological and structural characterizations of the hybrid materials were performed by Boehm method, point zero charge (pHpzc), infrared characterizations (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy–dispersive spectroscopyand and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The efficiency of the designed hybrid materials was optimized based on their performance in water depollution. Methylene blue (MB) and industrial textile wastewater were the investigated pollutants models. IR characterizations confirmed the fixation of Zn2+ onto the L.C by the creation of Zn-OH, Zn-O and Zn-O-C bonds. Boehm titration showed that the fixation of Zn2+ onto L.C is accompanied by an increase of the basic functions of its surface and subsequently an increase in the pHpzc. SEM results confirmed the fixation of Zn2+ onto the L.C coupling AC with biosorption showed an increase in the adsorbed amount of MB and speed when adding the 4% of Zn2+ compared to the pure L.C the Qm shifted from 3.22 to 9.84 and 8.81 mg/g, respectively, for hybrid materials synthesized under AC, in absence of AC and pure L.C.