Pseudo-stem banana fibers: characterization and chromium removal

• Published in: Orbital : The Electronic Journal of Chemistry Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 164 - 170
• Main Authors: Becker, Helena, de Matos, Regiane F, de Souza, Joseane A, de A. Lima, Daniel, de Souza, Francisco Thiago C, Longhinotti, Elisane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul 01-07-2013
• Subjects: Adsorption; agricultural by-products; Analysis; Aqueous solution reactions; Banana; Chromium; pseudo-stem banana fibers; removal; Brazil
• ISSN: 1984-6428; 1984-6428
• DOI: 10.17807/orbital.v5i3.474

In this work, pseudo-stems of the banana tree were collected, characterized and used as adsorbent materials for the removal of the chromium ions from aqueous solution. The characterization of pseudo-stems by FTIR suggests the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The predominant groups were carbonyls (0.312 ± 0.010 mmol [g.sup.-1] adsorbent), phenols (0.237 ± 0.021 mmol [g.sup.-1] adsorbent), lactones (0.041 [+ or -] 0.003 mmol [g.sup.-1] adsorbent) and basic groups (0.096 ± 0.006 mmol [g.sup.-1] adsorbent). The textural propriety of the adsorbent, surface area, pore volume and pore diameter were found to be 0.383 [m.sup.2] [g.sup.-1], 0.003525 [cm.sup.3] [g.sup.-1] and 368.3 Å, respectively. The pHpzc value was found 7.5 and so the adsorption assays of chromium removal from solution were more efficiently at acidic pH values. The experiments show that approximately 95% and 78% of the Cr (VI) was removed from solution by untreated and treated fiber, respectively, in 300 minutes of the contact time. Keywords: pseudo-stem banana fibers; agricultural by-products; removal; chromium