Ravenna Grass-Extracted Alkaline Lignin-Based Polysulfone Mixed Matrix Membrane (MMM) for Aqueous Cr(VI) Removal

Abstract

Studies have suggested that ecofriendly, inexpensive, and renewable material sources are essential for developing scalable, high-performance mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). With the fact that the second-most prevalent biomacromolecule in the world of plant biology is lignin, this article delineates the effective fabrication of a lignin-based MMM utilizing polysulfone (PSf) as the base material. The influence of PSf and the lignin concentration on the properties of the fabricated membranes was examined. Also, the developed membranes were assessed for surface morphology, roughness, thickness, thermal stability, functional groups, elemental composition, mechanical strength, and hydrophilicity. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies showed that the PSf/lignin membranes possessed a rough and inconsistent morphology and comparatively greater surface porosity. The water contact angle was reduced for the 1.0 wt % PSF/ lignin membrane. Furthermore, lignin nanoparticles significantly impacted the membrane surface characteristics and decreased the ζ potential. Under the ideal experimental scenario, M2 (0.5 wt % lignin/PSf) and M3 (1.0 wt % lignin/PSf) membranes demonstrated good pure water flux values and a higher removal of 98.5 and 98.75% of Cr(VI), respectively. EDX analysis of the membranes after filtration affirmed the effective Cr(VI) removal from water. Owing to its low cost, green credentials, simplicity in synthesis, and remarkable efficiency, the newly developed PSf/lignin membrane is best suited for removing Cr(VI) and various other related contaminants from discharge aqueous effluents.

Enhancing Bioethanol Yield from Ravenna Grass (Saccharum ravennae): Optimization of Pretreatment Strategies and Surfactant-Assisted Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Maximum Sugar Yield

“…As shown in Figure c, the O 1s spectrum showed three peaks that corresponded to the CO (531.75 ± 0.48 eV), C–O–C/C–OH (532.73 ± 0.21 eV), and H 2 O (335.3 eV) groups in the AC biomass sample. , In contrast, the RB, AL, and AC–AL biomasses had two peaks corresponding to CO and C–O–C/C–OH groups. Carbonyl groups are a significant component of lignin, and the presence of a group in the biomass sample indicates a higher lignin concentration.…”

“…The survey and highresolution C 1s and O 1s spectra of biomass samples are shown in Figure 5. While the N 1s peak was not prominent in the XPS 41,44 In contrast, the RB, AL, and AC−AL biomasses had two peaks corresponding to C�O and C−O−C/C−OH groups. Carbonyl groups are a significant component of lignin, and the presence of a group in the biomass sample indicates a higher lignin concentration.…”

“…The predominant elemental peaks observed in the biomass spectrum were C 1s and O 1s. Deconvolution of the C 1s spectra, as seen in Figure b, produced three peaks, each with an integrating binding energy of 284.60 ± 0.20 eV for C–C and C–H species, 285.80 eV for C–N species, and 286.50 ± 0.20 eV for C–OH and C–O–C species. − Due to the breakdown of carbon–carbon and carbon–hydrogen bonds between lignin and carbohydrates during pretreatment, the content of C–C and C–H species decreased from 49.94 to 33.21%, whereas the content of C–OH and C–O–C increased significantly from 28.85 to 66.78% as the concentration of cellulose in the biomass increased after pretreatments.…”

“…In our earlier investigations, highly pure alkaline lignin was successfully extracted from RGB. Such a product can be utilized in specialized aromatic chemical development, packaging, heavy metal removal, and thermal combustion. ,,, To summarize, alkaline pretreatment followed by nonionic surfactant-mediated enzymatic hydrolysis with fermentation by genetically modified microorganisms can enhance the ethanol yield and utilization of pretreatment byproducts. Thereby, such interventions can enable bioethanol production on a cost-competitive basis.…”

High Affinity of Nanoparticles and Matrices Based on Acid-Base Interaction for Nanoparticle-Filled Membrane

“…Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) [1,2] are composite structures composed of nanoparticles and a polymer matrix, which exhibit features of both materials. Consequently, MMMs find applications in various fields, including gas separation [3,4], antimicrobial [5,6], and proton exchange membranes (PEMs) [7,8].…”