Potential application of carboxymethyl cellulose/sodium alginate aerogels loaded with algal biomass for disinfection of contaminated water

Abstract

Many developing countries still lack enough credentials for a healthy and safe water supply. To control the circulation of waterborne diseases and ensure consumer safety, a significant problem is eliminating dangerous microbes from water systems using efficacious water disinfection technology. This current research work's objective was to encapsulate the algal biomass inside the porous structures of these sponge materials. Freeze drying technique was used to prepare these sponge materials using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium alginate (SA). The aerogel solution was loaded with different concentrations of algal biomass. The algal biomass was encapsulated owing to the presence of many interstitial pores with these spongy materials. The obtained data depicted that aerogels exhibited lamellar layers with immense porous structures. The mechanical properties of aerogels were enhanced with the addition of algal biomass. Inactivating 100% of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis were achieved within 120 min after treatment by Sp.m-3 @CM-SA aerogel. The biocidal effect of the Sp.m-3 @CM-SA aerogel is thought to be controlled primarily by surface-controlled processes that rely on direct contact between the bacterial cells and the interface of the aerogel. This suggests that the antimicrobial activity of the aerogel is related to the material's surface properties, which may facilitate the release of antimicrobial compounds from the algal biomass loaded in the aerogel.