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. 2022 May 29;19(11):6639.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19116639.

Natural Cyanobacteria Removers Obtained from Bio-Waste Date-Palm Leaf Stalks and Black Alder Cone-Like Flowers

Irina Kandić  1 , Milan Kragović  1 , Jugoslav B Krstić  2 , Jelena Gulicovski  1 , Jasmina Popović  3 , Milena Rosić  1 , Vesna Karadžić  4 , Marija Stojmenović  1
Affiliations

Natural Cyanobacteria Removers Obtained from Bio-Waste Date-Palm Leaf Stalks and Black Alder Cone-Like Flowers

Irina Kandić et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The impact of urbanization and modern agricultural practice has led to accelerated eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems, which has resulted in the massive development of cyanobacteria. Very often, in response to various environmental influences, cyanobacteria produce potentially carcinogenic cyanotoxins. Long-term human exposure to cyanotoxins, through drinking water as well as recreational water (i.e., rivers or lakes), can cause serious health consequences. In order to overcome this problem, this paper presents the synthesis of completely new activated carbons and their potential application in contaminated water treatment. The synthesis and characterization of new active carbon materials obtained from waste biomass, date-palm leaf stalks (P_AC) and black alder cone-like flowers (A_AC) of reliable physical and chemical characteristics were presented in this article. The commercial activated carbon (C_AC) was also examined for the purpose of comparisons with the obtained materials. The detailed characterization of materials was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), low-temperature N2 physisorption, and Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Preliminary analyzes of the adsorption capacities of all activated carbon materials were conducted on water samples from Aleksandrovac Lake (Southern part of Serbia), as a eutrophic lake, in order to remove Cyanobacteria from water. The results after 24 h showed removal efficiencies for P_AC, A_AC, and C_AC of 99.99%, 99.99% and 89.79%, respectively.

Keywords: activated carbon; adsorption capacity; black alder; cyanobacteria; date palm.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Satellite view of Aleksandrovac Lake, Serbia.
Figure 2
Figure 2
XRD spectra of the: (a) raw (P_RS), carbonized (P_CC), and activated (P_AC) dried palm leaf stalk sample; (b) raw (A_RS), carbonized (A_CC) and activated (A_AC) black alder cone-like flowers; (c) commercial activated carbon (C_AC).
Figure 2
Figure 2
XRD spectra of the: (a) raw (P_RS), carbonized (P_CC), and activated (P_AC) dried palm leaf stalk sample; (b) raw (A_RS), carbonized (A_CC) and activated (A_AC) black alder cone-like flowers; (c) commercial activated carbon (C_AC).
Figure 3
Figure 3
FTIR spectra of the: (a) raw (P_RS), carbonized (P_CC), and activated (P_AC) dried palm leaf stalk sample; (b) raw (A_RS), carbonized (A_CC), and activated (A_AC) black alder cone-like flowers; (c) commercial activated carbon (C_AC).
Figure 4
Figure 4
N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm of activated samples: (a) C_AC, (b) A_AC, and (c) P_AC.
Figure 4
Figure 4
N2 adsorption–desorption isotherm of activated samples: (a) C_AC, (b) A_AC, and (c) P_AC.
Figure 5
Figure 5
FESEM micrographs at different magnifications of P_RS (a) 200× (inset: visual appearance), (b) 500×, and (c) 2000×; and A_RS (d) 200× (inset: visual appearance) and (e) 500×, (f) 2000×.
Figure 6
Figure 6
FESEM micrographs at different magnifications of P_AC (a) 2000× and (b) 5000×; and A_AC (c) 2000× and (d) 5000×; and C_AC (e) 1000× and (f) 5000×.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Visually determined the coverage of the lake by the submerged macrophytes: (a–c) observation of the whole Lake; (d–f) observation of the coastal part of the Lake.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Qualitative analyses of phytoplankton from January to December 2021.
Figure 9
Figure 9
The phytoplankton abundance in Aleksandrovac Lake during 12 months in 2020 and 2021.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Photomicrographs of Raphidiopsis raciborskii from Aleksandrovac Lake. Scale bars 10 µm. Legends: a—akinetes, h—heterocyst.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Dynamics of the average cell number of cyanobacteria compared to abundance of R. raciborskii from January 2020 to December 2020.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Dynamics of the average cell number of cyanobacteria compared to abundance of R. raciborskii from January 2021 to December 2021.
Figure 13
Figure 13
The atmosphere temperature in Vranje, in different months during: (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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