Engineering an amphiphilic guar gum/xanthan gum complex for enhanced methylene blue removal: Experimental and molecular insights
Abstract
Bio-based adsorbent hydrogels were developed by chemically functionalizing guar gum (GG) through amidation with octadecylamine, producing a hydrophobically modified derivative (NGG). NGG was subsequently combined with xanthan gum (XG) to form NGG/XG polysaccharide complex networks. Structural, morphological, and thermal analyses confirmed successful amidation, along with reduced crystallinity, increased surface porosity, and improved thermal stability compared with native GG. The NGG/XG complexes exhibited strong pH-responsive swelling, reaching a maximum water uptake of 923% at pH 2. Their adsorption performance was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a model cationic dye. At pH 2 and 298 K, the NGG/XG system achieved a high experimental adsorption capacity of 248 mg g⁻¹ for an initial MB concentration of 50 mg L⁻¹ and adsorbent dose of 0.1 g L⁻¹. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model best described the adsorption for the MB solution with a maximum adsorption capacity of 230 mg g⁻¹. Thermodynamic analysis indicated spontaneous (ΔG° = −2.28 to −2.62 kJ mol⁻¹), mildly endothermic (ΔH° = +0.95 kJ mol⁻¹), entropy-driven adsorption (ΔS° = +0.011 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹). DFT, NCI-RDG, and QTAIM analyses revealed complementary polar, electrostatic, hydrogen-bonding, and hydrophobic/dispersion interactions, supporting a cooperative multisite physisorption mechanism. These findings highlight NGG/XG as promising, pH-responsive adsorbents for wastewater remediation.
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BibTeX
@article{ettoumi2026engineering,
title = {{Engineering an amphiphilic guar gum/xanthan gum complex for enhanced methylene blue removal: Experimental and molecular insights}},
author = {Selma Youcef Ettoumi and Yamina Zouambia and Hamida Maachou and Nadji Moulai-Mostefa and Mohamed Krea and Yacine Benguerba and Abdeltif Amrane and Hichem Tahraoui},
journal = {Desalination and Water Treatment},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.dwt.2026.101968},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05835003v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Engineering an amphiphilic guar gum/xanthan gum complex for enhanced methylene blue removal: Experimental and molecular insights
AU - Selma Youcef Ettoumi
AU - Yamina Zouambia
AU - Hamida Maachou
AU - Nadji Moulai-Mostefa
AU - Mohamed Krea
AU - Yacine Benguerba
AU - Abdeltif Amrane
AU - Hichem Tahraoui
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/22
JO - Desalination and Water Treatment
DO - 10.1016/j.dwt.2026.101968
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05835003v1
AB - Bio-based adsorbent hydrogels were developed by chemically functionalizing guar gum (GG) through amidation with octadecylamine, producing a hydrophobically modified derivative (NGG). NGG was subsequently combined with xanthan gum (XG) to form NGG/XG polysaccharide complex networks. Structural, morphological, and thermal analyses confirmed successful amidation, along with reduced crystallinity, increased surface porosity, and improved thermal stability compared with native GG. The NGG/XG complexes exhibited strong pH-responsive swelling, reaching a maximum water uptake of 923% at pH 2. Their adsorption performance was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as a model cationic dye. At pH 2 and 298 K, the NGG/XG system achieved a high experimental adsorption capacity of 248 mg g⁻¹ for an initial MB concentration of 50 mg L⁻¹ and adsorbent dose of 0.1 g L⁻¹. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model best described the adsorption for the MB solution with a maximum adsorption capacity of 230 mg g⁻¹. Thermodynamic analysis indicated spontaneous (ΔG° = −2.28 to −2.62 kJ mol⁻¹), mildly endothermic (ΔH° = +0.95 kJ mol⁻¹), entropy-driven adsorption (ΔS° = +0.011 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹). DFT, NCI-RDG, and QTAIM analyses revealed complementary polar, electrostatic, hydrogen-bonding, and hydrophobic/dispersion interactions, supporting a cooperative multisite physisorption mechanism. These findings highlight NGG/XG as promising, pH-responsive adsorbents for wastewater remediation.
SN - 1944-3994
SN - 1944-3986
ER -