Potential of Cellulose from Agricultural Biomass as an Eco-Friendly Adsorbent for Aquatic Remediation
Keywords:
Adsorbent, Aquatic, Biomass, Cellulose, RemediationAbstract
Water pollution caused by heavy metals and other contaminants has become an increasingly serious environmental issue due to industrial, agricultural, and domestic activities. These pollutants can degrade water quality, disrupt aquatic ecosystems, and pose significant risks to human health through bioaccumulation. Adsorption technology using biomass-based materials has emerged as a promising approach because it is environmentally friendly, cost-effective, renewable, and widely available. Cellulose, the primary component of lignocellulosic biomass, contains abundant hydroxyl (-OH) functional groups that provide active sites for the adsorption of various aquatic pollutants. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of cellulose derived from agricultural biomass as an eco-friendly adsorbent for aquatic remediation based on the cellulose content of several biomass sources. A quantitative descriptive method was employed through comparative analysis of cellulose content in corn cobs, coconut coir, and rice husks obtained from experimental studies. The results revealed that coconut coir possessed the highest cellulose content (54.30%), followed by corn cobs (36.48%) and rice husks (22.44%). Differences in cellulose content indicate variations in the availability of hydroxyl functional groups that may influence adsorption performance toward aquatic pollutants. Therefore, agricultural biomass, particularly coconut coir, demonstrates considerable potential as an environmentally friendly adsorbent to support effective and sustainable aquatic remediation technologies.
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