Carboxymethyl cellulose assisted reforming of poly acrylic acid co methyl methacrylate composite for wastewater treatment and effective hosting of antimicrobial silver

Abstract

Herein, novel polymer composite is fabricated by hybridizing poly (acrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) filaments with carboxymethyl cellulose, which efficiently reorients and strictly ties the fibrous chains to form polymeric units of plate-like morphology. This innovative hybrid polymer composite is analyzed using XRD, FT-IR, swelling and contact angle studies, DLS, AFM, and SEM. Removal efficiency of such polymer composite is scrutinized in colored wastewater treatment. Langmuir and pseudo-first-order kinetic models best describe safranine dye removal from wastewater, adopting exothermic adsorption progression with elevated capacity (~ 59.47 mg/g) and accelerated rate (~ 1.06 h^{- 1}). Such polymer composite exhibits persistent removal efficiency of ~ 90% within 10 min for five consecutive cycles. Hybrid polymer composite is good candidate platform for hosting Ag particles to heighten their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, far exceeding 75% reduction. Future studies on applicability of oxygen-rich polymer composites in wastewater treatment and disinfection are optimistic and extremely competent.

Keywords: Adsorption of safranin; Ag particles; Antimicrobial; Carboxymethyl cellulose; Poly (acrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate).

Fig. 1

(A) FT-IR spectra and (B) XRD patterns of p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite.

Fig. 2

(A) Average zeta-potential distribution curves and (B) Swelling kinetic curves and contact angle of p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite.

Fig. 3

SEM images of: (A) p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and (B) CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite.

Fig. 4

The AFM images of: (A) p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and (B) CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite.

Fig. 5

Portrayal view representing the changes in the interaction characteristics of p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer when hybridized with CMC chains.

Fig. 6

Equilibrium adsorption isotherms (a) for removal of safranin dye over p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite (pH: 7.8; sorbent dosage: 2 g/L; initial dye concentrations: 10, 20, 40, 90, 120, 160 mg/L; temperature 25°C; contact time: 3 h), and kinetic study (b) for adsorption of safranine dye over p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite (pH 7.8; sorbent dosage: 2 g/ L; initial dye concentration: 120 mg/L; temperature 25°C).

Fig. 7

(A) Reusability study of p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite (Set-up conditions: pH: 7.8; sorbent dosage: 2 g/L; initial dye concentrations: 120 mg/L; temperature 25°C; contact time: 3 h), and (B) Zeta-potential distribution curve of the exhausted p(AA-co-MMA) and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) samples after the fifth cycle of dye removal from wastewater.

Fig. 8

Panoramic view of interaction characteristics adopting the sorption of safranine dye molecules over p(AA-co-MMA) copolymer (A) and CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) hybrid polymer composite (B).

Fig. 9

Visual detections of antimicrobial activity of Ag@p(AA-co-MMA) and Ag@CMC/p(AA-co-MMA) composites against different pathogenic microbes: (A) Staphylococcus aureus ATCC6538 and (B) Escherichia coli NCTC10418.