The reuse of disposable COVID-19 surgical masks as a nitrogen-enrichment agent and structure promotor for a wild plant-derived sorbent

• Published in: Journal of industrial and engineering chemistry (Seoul, Korea) Vol. 102; pp. 163 - 176
• Main Authors: Bumajdad, Ali, Khan, Mohammad Jakir Hossain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25.10.2021; 한국공업화학회
• Subjects: COVID-19; Cr(VI) removal; Cyperus papyrus; Face covering masks; Nitrogen-enriched carbon sorbent; Plastic waste management; 화학공학; COVID-19; Cr(VI) removal; Cyperus papyrus; Nitrogen-enriched carbon sorbent; Plastic waste management; Face covering masks
• ISSN: 1226-086X; 1876-794X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2021.07.003

[Display omitted] •Enhancing carbonaceous sorbent properties using disposable surgical face mask as an additive.•Emerge of gases and mask’s nitrogen compound changed the sorbent structure and chemical composition.•The prepared sorbent possesses high microporosity and nitrogen content.•Such changes were reflected on the sorbent adsorption capacity of the toxic Cr(VI) in aqueous system. In this work, disposable surgical face masks (SFMs) have been utilized as nitrogen (N)-doping agents for carbon (C) adsorbents through thermal carbonization using K2CO3 as activators. A readily available wild-plant biomass (Cyperus papyrus, CP) was chosen as the raw material for manufacturing the adsorbent. A “green-etching” process was employed to synthesize adsorbents with significant modifications and without using of any chemicals. As observed via characterization analysis, upon mixing SFMs with CP at a 1:1 weight ratio, there were considerable developments in the specific surface area (SBET = 830 m2/g) for both micro- (0.333 cm3/g) and mesopores (0.053 cm3/g) as well as diversified functional groups (e.g., amino and carbonyl) on the sorbent that was produced. This is a key for the adsorbent’s ability in order to remove a variety of pollutants from aqueous solutions. The heavy metal (Cr(VI)) ion adsorption capacity was used to identify the optimum adsorption parameters. Significantly lower amounts of Cr(VI) residues were achieved at a concentration of 2 mg/L from an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 30 mg/L by applying an SFM-modified sorbent dose of 10 g/L. The outcomes of this research could be advantageous for decision making in plastic waste management that surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.