Transformation of waste into valuable materials: Utilizing waste printer powder to remove hazardous organic dye and pharmaceutical pollutants from wastewater

Abstract

A global concern of considerable significance revolves around electronic waste and the contamination of water due to antibiotics and persistent organic dyes, leading to the emergence of antibiotic resistance and an alarming increase in environmental pollution. The substantial accumulation of waste printer powder generated by printers is undeniably an unwanted and valueless byproduct, as both its substantial production and recycling would result in significant financial burdens and environmental pollution challenges. Polypyrrole-grafted waste printer powder, (Ppy@wp), constitutes a viable solution due to its established reputation as a capable adsorbent. To maximize the reutilization of this waste powder, we have investigated a straightforward and practical approach for repurposing waste printer powder (wp) to craft a super magnetic Ppy@wp nanocomposite. This composite is put forth as a highly effective material for the elimination of methylene blue (MB) dye and tetracycline (TC) from solutions. The wp was mixed with pyrrole, followed by polymerization and carbonization to synthesize the final composite. The pollutant removal capacity of the as-prepared Ppy@wp nanocomposite has been evaluated by removing MB and TC. The Ppy@wp nanomaterial was found to be highly effective in removing 50 ppm of MB and TC with a removal rate of around 95.36% and 90.23%, respectively, within just 50 min. The Ppy@wp nanomaterial was evaluated for regeneration and desorption and it was shown to be effective for up to six cycles, with removal efficiency of TC being 79.23% and MB being 86.56%. This is a cost-effective, innovative, and highly efficient adsorbent process with a great perspective on environmental pollution clean-up. The result demonstrated that the synthesized material was magnetically separated from the solution within 2 min after adsorption. Therefore, this research has provided value-added significance for developing inexpensive composites from waste material to remove toxic chemicals from the waste stream.