Optimization of tannin rigid foam as adsorbents for wastewater treatment

• Published in: Industrial crops and products Vol. 49; pp. 507 - 514
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Martín, J., Beltrán-Heredia, J., Delgado-Regaña, A., Rodríguez-González, M.A., Rubio-Alonso, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2013
• Subjects: Adsorbents; Adsorption; Categories; Dyes; environmental technology; Foams; formaldehyde; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; furfuryl alcohol; methylene blue; New materials; Optimization; Raman spectroscopy; remediation; response surface methodology; Surfactants; Tannin rigid foams; Tannins; Waste water; Wastewater treatment; Tannin rigid foams; Adsorption; New materials; Wastewater treatment
• ISSN: 0926-6690; 1872-633X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2013.05.029

•Tannin rigid foam for wastewater treatment.•Optimization through RSM.•Dye, surfactant and pharmaceutical removal.•Up to 250mgg−1 of MB removal. Tannin rigid foams are presented as novel adsorbents for wastewater remediation. Although these materials are known since long time ago, this is one of the newest applications in environmental technology. The efficiency of the different combinations of reagents in the foam synthesis were studied by using Response Surface Methodology, and the optimum category was subsequently tested on dye, surfactant and pharmaceutical removal. The results are promising for the three types of pollutant. Structural differences based on FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and other superficial characterization techniques confirmed the intrinsic adsorption benefits of this optimum category if compared with other tannin rigid foams. Optimum tannin rigid foam was obtained with 0.03g of furfuryl alcohol, 0.11g of formaldehyde, 0.25g of diethyl ether and 0.20g of p-toluensulfonic acid per g of Weibull Black tannin extract. With this combination of reagents, up to 250mgg−1 of Methylene Blue removal was reached and a significant elimination of several dyes and surfactants was feasible.