Development and optimization of imine-functionalized cellulose adsorbent for anionic micropollutant removal

Abstract

Anionic micropollutants pose significant threats to environmental organisms, and their removal or minimization is imperative. To achieve efficient removal, an imine-functionalized cellulose-based adsorbent called surface-modified cross-linked cellulose (SMCC) was developed, and its preparation process was optimized. The optimization focused on determining the appropriate quantities of NaIO4 and aminoguanidine, reaction times, and the cross-linking ratio between treated and untreated cellulose. The effectiveness of SMCC was evaluated by removing 28 anionic micropollutants, including antimicrobial agents and pharmaceuticals. The adsorption capacities of SMCC ranged from 19.51 to 5406.19 μmol/g, highlighting its strong adsorption potential. In addition, through quantitative structure–adsorption relationship modeling, adsorption affinity was predicted with good accuracy (R2 = 0.909). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of SMCC as an innovative and sustainable solution for mitigating the environmental impact of anionic micropollutants.