Synthesis and evaluation of Moringa-functionalized Fe nanoparticles in water treatment via RSM

Wastewater treatment remains a critical challenge owing to the presence of various contaminants, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable treatment methods. Innovative coagulants with enhanced performance are crucial to resolve these concerns. In the current study, response surface methodology was adopted to evaluate the coagulation efficiency of Moringa functionalized Iron nanoparticles (MoFe) in combination with Alum for wastewater treatment. Characterization studies were performed for validation of development of functionalized Moringa nanoparticles (MoFe). Despite the numerous advantages of Alum, an inorganic coagulant, the accompanying drawbacks have inspired the pursuit of some eco-friendly coagulants for wastewater treatment. Thus, the integration of Moringa functionalized coagulant (organic coagulant) with inorganic coagulant could be a viable strategy to enhance the treatment process efficiency. Analysis of variance was performed to assess statistical importance and accuracy of the suggested model. 3D and the contour plot analysis show that the coagulants give better results at their optimum conditions. Their efficient use requires search for determination of optimum ranges for selected parameters such as amounts of MoFe, alum and pH in color, TDS and turbidity removal (%). Confirmation studies were performed on individual and multiple responses predicting optimum values for these operating parameters. The amounts of MoFe Coagulant, alum solution, and pH were 146.90 mg, 24 ml, 6.5 respectively, which resulted in 84.5 %, 49.7 % and 90.2 % reduction in color, turbidity and TDS respectively in 50 ml of wastewater. Graphical illustration depicting coagulation of wastewater dye with MoFe and Alum while using RSM for better prediction of optimized values