Highly synergic adsorption/photocatalytic efficiency of Alginate/Bentonite impregnated TiO2 beads for wastewater treatment

Green approaches have become a trend for solving ongoing aquatic environmental issues for the very fact that they utterly satisfy the triple lines of sustainability, i.e., environmental and social safeguards, and economic prosperity. Herein, an eco-friendly, and stable new adsorbent with combined adsorption and photocatalytic properties based on clay and biopolymers was successfully designed via a combination of a simple cross-linking way, followed by a non-thermal TiO2 impregnation for the uptake and degradation of water?s soluble pollutants. Emphasis was put on the morphology, pH- sensitive swelling behavior, and the photocatalytic performance of the prepared beads. Thereby, an exhaustive characterization was performed together with an evaluation of the photocatalytic efficiency of the color removal and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The obtained results ratify the possibility of this biocomposite to have a positive impact in the challenging wastewater sector, by dint of its approved adsorption/ photocatalytic adeptness.

Automated summary

Green approaches have become a trend for solving aquatic environmental issues by satisfying the triple lines of sustainability. A new eco-friendly adsorbent with combined adsorption and photocatalytic properties was successfully designed and showed positive impact in the challenging wastewater sector. The morphology, pH-sensitive swelling behavior, and photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared beads were emphasized and validated through the removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions.