Potential of cellulose extracted from sweet corn stalks (<i>Zea mays saccharata</i> Sturt) as a microplastic filter membrane

This study investigates the extraction and application of cellulose derived from sweet corn stalks (Zea mays saccharata Sturt) as a membrane material for the effective removal of microplastics from wastewater.The extraction process yielded a cellulose recovery of 43% from 100 grams of corn stalk powder, indicating the efficiency of the employed methodology and demonstrating the potential of corn stalks as a viable cellulose source.The extracted cellulose fibers exhibited desirable physical properties, including a rough and porous surface, which are conducive to trapping larger particles, while the pure cellulose displayed a smoother texture that facilitates the filtration of finer microplastics.The performance of the membranes constructed from both corn stalks cellulose and pure cellulose was evaluated through filtration experiments, revealing high efficiencies of 90% and 92.5%, respectively, in removing microplastics from contaminated water.The slight difference in efficiency suggests that the more uniform structure of pure cellulose may provide a more consistent filtration process.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed the structural integrity of the membranes, revealing an amorphous structure that is critical for effective filtration.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses indicated a higher purity of cellulose in the pure sample, with increased oxygen content correlating with the removal of lignin and hemicellulose.Furthermore, the corn stalks cellulose membrane demonstrated superior operational characteristics, including a higher average flow rate (55 mL/min) and better clogging resistance compared to pure cellulose.These findings highlight the potential of utilizing agricultural waste, such as corn stalks, in the development of sustainable membranes for microplastic pollution mitigation.The study underscores the importance of innovative approaches in environmental remediation and offers valuable insights into the use of renewable materials in wastewater treatment applications.Future research should focus on optimizing processing methods and evaluating long-term performance in real-world scenarios.