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Separation of heavy metals from wastewaters is achieved through physical, chemical and biological methods. However, these methods have several drawbacks, such as chemical precipitation producing large volumes of sludge with higher metal concentrations. Chicken feathers being an abundant waste by-product of the poultry industry has gained attention because of its potential for wastewater treatment. This study includes (i) modification and detailed structural characterization of developed keratin biopolymers (KBPs) and (ii) their screening for sorption of targeted multiple metals from energy industry simulated wastewater.
Eight keratin derived biopolymers were developed to sequester the toxic trace elements from synthetic wastewater. Chemical modifications of biopolymers affect their physical and chemical characteristics, hence, enhance the sorption of contaminants from wastewaters. KBP-I (processed chicken feathers), KBP-II (acid modified), KBP-III & KBP-IV (modified with ionic liquids), KBP-V (amine modified), KBP-VI & KBP-VII (POSS modified) and KBP-VIII (sodium sulfite modified) were characterized for their surface morphology, structural integrity, functional group changes, crystallinity behavior, surface area, and pore size distribution using different analytical techniques. Developed biopolymers were then tested against synthetic wastewater spiked with nine transition and redox sensitive elements (100 μg L−1 each).
Based on initial screening, all the eight biopolymers performed well where KBP-I removed 87–93% of As and Cd, KBP-IV showed adsorption capacity of 80–85% of Cu and VV, KBP-V represented 60–90% efficiency for the removal of Co, Ni and Zn and KBP-VI demonstrated removal efficiency of 95% for CrVI metal. The developed keratin biopolymers show prospects to effectively treat the metals contaminated wastewater.
This work highlights the role of keratin derived biopolymers as an emerging area towards remediation of heavy metal water pollution. The proposed methodology has illustrated the ability of keratin feathers (before and after modifications) as effective adsorbents to sequester the transition and redox sensitive heavy metals from energy simulated wastewater. The characterization studies of keratin derived biopolymers provide an additional insight about surface functionality that also reflect the adsorption analysis. All of the developed biopolymers have shown better metal adsorption capabilities owing to their larger accessibility of functional groups present on surface. On an optimistic approach, keratin derived polymers open diverse possibilities in detoxifying pollutants from energy related wastewaters and also make them potential candidate for the scale-up treatment of multi-metal contaminated industrial wastewaters. The utilization of these keratin biopolymers provide multiple benefits, including economical and eco-friendly filtration system for wastewater treatment and diversion of feather waste generated by poultry processing plants leading to social, economic and environmental benefits.