Removal of Nitrate and phosphate from wastewater using banana adsorbent

Wastewater treatment plays a crucial role in mitigating nutrient pollution, with adsorption emerging as a promising method for pollutant removal. This study explores the potential of banana fibers, a lignocellulosic material abundant in agricultural waste, as an adsorbent for purifying wastewater. Firstly, raw wastewater was filtered to remove larger microorganisms and particles. Then, the banana fibers underwent treatment with varying concentrations of sodium hydroxide, followed by evaluation of their effectiveness in pollutant removal through controlled experiments. Parameters such as pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and initial concentration were analyzed. Key parameters, including phosphate, ammonium and nitrate were assessed using Hach kits and a spectrophotometer. To measure the efficiency of this treatment the adsorbance kinetics was calculated and the fiber composition was analyzed with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The findings indicate that banana fibers exhibit a greater adsorption capacity for phosphate and ammonium compared to nitrate and have different optimal parameters. In the case of phosphate and ammonium, the optimal parameters for pollutant removal efficiency were as follows: pretreatment with 0.5M sodium hydroxide, maintenance of a natural pH (7.53), a contact time of 1.5 hours, an adsorbent dosage of 8 g/L and without dilution of the wastewater. Under these conditions, the final removal percentages for phosphate and ammonium were 100% and 89.4%, respectively. While for nitrate the optimal parameters were pretreatment with 0.5M sodium hydroxide and an adsorbent dose of 1 g/L, which resulted in a 100% nitrate removal. The sustainability implications of using banana fibers for wastewater treatment are explored, including alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, minimal environmental impact of sodium hydroxide, and the economic benefits of utilizing agricultural by-products. These findings contribute to the development of eco-friendly solutions for addressing ...