Cello-MOF filters for multifaceted emerging pollutant abatement and their value addition

Abstract

The current study showcases the effective utilization of Saccharum officinarum bagasse (SB), a prominent agricultural waste product, as a valuable precursor for the production of adsorptive filters. These pristine filters were subsequently augmented with MIL-88 (Fe) to incorporate functionally active sites. The fabricated filters exhibited exceptional efficacy in the removal of cationic dyes such as methylene blue, malachite green, crystal violet and rhodamine B; pharmaceutical wastes namely ciprofloxacin and paracetamol, and metal ion, chromate. The adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB) using the MIL-88 (Fe) integrated SBF material significantly surpassed expectations, demonstrating an impressive capacity of 602 mg/g in batch adsorption mode. Furthermore, the drain-type system, equipped with stacked MIL-88(Fe)@SB filters, consistently and effectively removed organic contaminants from the continuous water flow. Additionally, they proved to be highly efficient in the separation of oil–water emulsions, serving as an effective barrier with a separation efficiency of upto ∼100 %. In addition to their primary use, the filters were repurposed as valuable electrode materials by high temperature carbonization of the filters at 800 °C for 3 h under N2 atmosphere, for the development of point-of-use energy storage devices. This secondary application demonstrated remarkable results, with the devices achieving a substantial capacitance value of 88 F/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g. This reutilization not only enhances the sustainability and economic feasibility of the filtering system but also opens promising avenues for the utilization of waste materials in the realm of energy storage. While prior studies have primarily focused on the application of metal–organic framework (MOF)-based filters for the removal of specific contaminants, our present research represents a multifaceted approach. It not only addresses the challenges of diverse pollutant removal but also delves into the transformative potential of these filters in supercapacitor devices.