Heavy metal ion uptake using biodegradable polymeric film

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of gelatin films as a biodegradable material for food preservation and heavy metal ion removal. Gelatin, a biodegradable protein derived from animal collagen, was dissolved in distilled water to form a solution and casted to form films. The films were evaluated for their swelling behavior, solubility in food, moisture content, thickness, and biodegradability. The results showed that gelatin films were completely soluble in water within 3 hours, with a water solubility of 29 ± 1.6%. The films showed UV-visible light absorbance ranging from 280 to 480 nm with maximum absorbance at 420 nm. The films were also found to have a high potential for heavy metal ion removal, specifically for copper (II) and zinc (II) ions. The films were able to effectively remove these ions from aqueous solutions under acidic conditions, with removal efficiencies of 99.3% and 97.3%, respectively. The findings suggest that gelatin films could be a promising material for sustainable food packaging and for removing heavy metals from wastewater.