Biomass-based water purification: a simple and novel one-pot process for converting date palm mesh fibers into a valuable nanomagnetic composite for water treatment

Abstract

A novel magnetic nanocomposite was successfully synthesized using date palm mesh fiber waste as a sustainable substrate. This green and cost-effective approach produced a nanocomposite characterized by various techniques. The BET-specific surface area and total pore volume of the magnetic nanocomposite were 19.46 m² g⁻¹ and 0.099 m³ g⁻¹, respectively. These values were much higher than those of the raw substrate. The synthesized magnetic nanocomposite was tested as an adsorbent for removing methylene blue (MB organic pollutant) and potassium permanganate (MnO₄⁻ inorganic pollutant) from water. Optimal conditions (adsorbent dosage, pH, temperature, equilibrium time) for removing MB and MnO₄⁻ from water using the magnetic nanocomposite were determined. Under these conditions, the nanocomposite exhibited excellent removal efficiency for MB and MnO₄⁻ with ∼95% and 99%, respectively. The experimental data were best fitted by the Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model for MB and MnO₄⁻ with the highest sorption capabilities of 10.77 and 58.48 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The applicability of the nanocomposite was examined in various real-water samples and satisfactory results were obtained. The magnetic biosorbent showed good reusability, maintaining 81.3% removal efficiency for MB after eleven consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles using ethanol. It is expected that this high-capacity, recyclable magnetic adsorbent can potentially offer a promising, facile, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly route to pollutant water treatment.