Statistical design of experiments for biocomposite (Zea mays sponge/Na-alginate) preparation optimization for Pb(II) removal from aqueous media

Abstract

Lead ions are an efficient neurotoxic metal that results in serious disorders for human beings, including poisoning, kidney and liver disorders, hepatitis, anaemia, encephalopathy, and nephritic syndrome. The low-cost and eco-friendly biocomposite from Zea mays sponge (ZMS) biomass encapsulated using Na-alginate in the cross-linked matrix (ZMS/Na-alginate) as a biosorbent. A statistical approach uses full factorial design space to optimize the best conditions for preparation beads. The effect of concentrations (w/v, g/100 mL) of Na-alginate (X1), ZMS biomass (X2), and CaCl2 crosslinker (X3) retesting for Pb(II) ions elimination from the aquatic medium in batch mode. The supreme values optimized for X1, X2, and X3 are relevant to 4.5%, 2.5%, and 1.97%. After optimization using response surface methodology, the maximum lead removal by ZMS/Na-alginate biocomposite was 97.11%. The ZMS/Na-alginate biocomposite was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and attenuated total reflection spectroscopy to investigate physical and chemical modification in the structure during the biosorption system. Therefore, the synthesized ZMS/Na-alginate beads show considerable stability during 5 consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles. This approach study demonstrates that the optimized condition affects the removal of lead ions. The findings support using the modified raw biomass as a potential absorbent for heavy metal ions removal from aqueous media.