Solid foam composite derived from cement and jujube core activated carbon: a sustainable adsorbent for textile wastewater treatment

Abstract

The textile industry is responsible for a significant amount of environmental damage caused by the use of dyes, which puts the health of humans and the ecosystems in the surrounding area in dire danger. The conventional approaches to wastewater treatment can be rather expensive and demand a significant amount of energy. Regrettably, these techniques are not very efficient when it comes to dealing with the substantial quantities of coloured wastewater that are generated by the textile sector. The utilisation of cement-activated carbon solid foam composite technology is a viable option that offers significant advantages in terms of both efficiency and environmental impact. These solid foam adsorbents are produced by the utilisation of a manufacturing process that is environmentally friendly and ingredients that are sourced locally, such as jujube cores. Even at low initial dye concentrations, they had clearance rates of over 98%, which is an impressively high percentage from their dye retention capabilities. In order to demonstrate the composite's potential for use in wastewater treatment applications, characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and EDX are utilised. After conducting in-depth research, it has been established that the mass of the adsorbent and the length of time that it is in contact with the substance have a significant impact on the removal efficiency. The most favourable conditions have been seen to occur within a time range of ninety minutes, according to those observations. Methylene blue can be effectively removed with the help of the solid foam Composite, which is a sorbent that is not only readily available but also practical, cost-effective, and readily available. According to the findings of equilibrium research, the Temkin isotherm model is the one that is most suitable for understanding the behaviour of adsorption. As an additional point of interest, desorption experiments have shown that there are strong bindings between the dye and the composite, which indicates that there is minimal reversibility.