Development of a Hybrid Air Pollutant Adsorbent Using Graphene Oxide, Metal-Organic Frameworks (Fe-BTC), and Agro-Industrial Waste for Enhanced Removal of Air Pollutants

Abstract

Air pollution refers to the presence of harmful substances in the air we breathe, and it has become one of the leading global environmental threats to human health, causing serious damage to the environment. Conventional adsorbents are limited by low adsorption capacity, high cost, and non-renewability. The objective of this research is to a new type of hybrid adsorbent consisting of advanced materials like GO and FeBTC functionalized with lower commoditized agro-industrial waste materials including fly ash, neem bark, banana peels and potato peels. The hybrid adsorbent is fabricated with a background to take advantage of the synergistic effects of these nanostructured materials for improving pollutant removal efficiency. To evaluate the physio-chemical properties of the adsorbents, FESEM, XRD, Contact Angle Meter, Raman Spectroscopy, FTIR, and DSC Scanning is applied. The performance of adsorption of hybrid materials concerning SO2, NO2, NH3, and O3 is measured through ultravioletvisible spectroscopy. Additionally, the optimization of the adsorption procedure and the estimation of the effectiveness of pollutant removal in different conditions will be achieved through RSM modeling. This research is intended to assist in the development of sustainable, cost-effective, and high-performance materials for adsorbents for air pollution control, thereby securing mitigative strategy against pollutants effects on public health and the environment.