Preparation of Cellulose Nanofiber Aerogels from Paper Sludge Waste and Their Use for the Removal of Metal Ions Used in Batteries from Water
- 1Cellulose and Paper Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Behouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.
- 2Institut Européen des Membranes, IEM, UMR-5635, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France.
- 3Faculty of Applied Arts, Egyptian Russian University, Badr City 11829, Egypt.
Abstract
Developing cost-effective, bio-based adsorbents for hazardous battery industry effluents is a major environmental challenge. This study isolated cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from primary paper sludge (PS)-a tissue manufacturing waste-via chemical modification using (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl oxidation (TEMPO oxidation) and ultrasonication to fabricate highly porous aerogels. The PS-CNF aerogels were evaluated for removing battery-related metal ions (Pb 2+ , Cd 2+ , Co 2+ , Mn 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Li + ). To assess the structural impact of residual kaolin in the sludge, performance was compared against aerogels derived from fiber dust (FD) waste, as well as a commercial resin (Purolite C-100). The PS-CNF aerogels demonstrated superior maximum adsorption capacities of 39.28 mg/g for Pb 2+ , 29.80 mg/g for Cd 2+ , 21.05 mg/g for Co 2+ , 20.19 mg/g for Mn 2+ , 16.80 mg/g for Ni 2+ , and 11.33 mg/g for Li + . They consistently outperformed the FD-CNF matrix across the entire series. This enhanced efficiency is attributed to the residual kaolin in the paper sludge, which also acts as a physical spacer, increasing the aerogel's internal porosity. Adsorption generally followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics. Furthermore, the PS-CNF aerogels exhibited higher efficiency than the commercial Purolite C-100 cation exchange resin. Ultimately, this work demonstrates the potential of upcycling paper sludge into sustainable, high-performance adsorbents for treating toxic battery effluents.
Related
- Preparation of a magnetic Escherichia coli biosorbent for efficient dye removal from aqueous solutions
- Synergy of Charcoal–Cellulose Fibers for Enhanced COD and TSS Removal From Oily Industrial Wastewater: Experimental Assessment and Statistical Modeling
- Jute-waste-derived cellulose fiber reinforced hydrogel composites for the removal of crystal violet from aqueous media
- Preparation of a Novel N-Doped Biochar from Agricultural Waste for Cu(Ⅱ) Removal: Insights into the Kinetic, Equilibrium, Adsorption Mechanisms and Economic Feasibility
- Preparation of Carbonaceous Materials from Coffee Parchment and Their Potential Use for Removal of Gadolinium Ions from Aqueous Phases
BibTeX
@article{abouelseoud2026preparation,
title = {{Preparation of Cellulose Nanofiber Aerogels from Paper Sludge Waste and Their Use for the Removal of Metal Ions Used in Batteries from Water}},
author = {Wafaa Abou-Elseoud and Shaimaa Fadel and Enas Hassan and Damien Quemener and Karim Aissou and Suming Li and Mohammad Hassan},
journal = {Gels},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/gels12100935},
url = {https://hal.umontpellier.fr/hal-05842465v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Preparation of Cellulose Nanofiber Aerogels from Paper Sludge Waste and Their Use for the Removal of Metal Ions Used in Batteries from Water
AU - Wafaa Abou-Elseoud
AU - Shaimaa Fadel
AU - Enas Hassan
AU - Damien Quemener
AU - Karim Aissou
AU - Suming Li
AU - Mohammad Hassan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/17
JO - Gels
DO - 10.3390/gels12100935
UR - https://hal.umontpellier.fr/hal-05842465v1
AB - Developing cost-effective, bio-based adsorbents for hazardous battery industry effluents is a major environmental challenge. This study isolated cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from primary paper sludge (PS)-a tissue manufacturing waste-via chemical modification using (2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl oxidation (TEMPO oxidation) and ultrasonication to fabricate highly porous aerogels. The PS-CNF aerogels were evaluated for removing battery-related metal ions (Pb 2+ , Cd 2+ , Co 2+ , Mn 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Li + ). To assess the structural impact of residual kaolin in the sludge, performance was compared against aerogels derived from fiber dust (FD) waste, as well as a commercial resin (Purolite C-100). The PS-CNF aerogels demonstrated superior maximum adsorption capacities of 39.28 mg/g for Pb 2+ , 29.80 mg/g for Cd 2+ , 21.05 mg/g for Co 2+ , 20.19 mg/g for Mn 2+ , 16.80 mg/g for Ni 2+ , and 11.33 mg/g for Li + . They consistently outperformed the FD-CNF matrix across the entire series. This enhanced efficiency is attributed to the residual kaolin in the paper sludge, which also acts as a physical spacer, increasing the aerogel's internal porosity. Adsorption generally followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics. Furthermore, the PS-CNF aerogels exhibited higher efficiency than the commercial Purolite C-100 cation exchange resin. Ultimately, this work demonstrates the potential of upcycling paper sludge into sustainable, high-performance adsorbents for treating toxic battery effluents.
SN - 2310-2861
ER -