Evaluation, optimization study, and life cycle assessment of novel eco-friendly PVA-based nanocomposite hydrogel adsorbents for methylene blue and paracetamol removal

In this study, an eco-friendly and novel hydrogel based on a crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), iota carrageenan (IC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) scaffold, containing a large amount (10–50 wt%) of nanoscale palm fronds (NPF) as additives, for water purification was demonstrated. A life cycle assessment (LCA) findings on NPF as biomass waste incorporated into PVA_PVP_IC polymer matrix was presented, and the results highlight the necessity of focused actions to reduce environmental impact and support the palm waste utilization in a sustainable manner. The multicomponent nanocomposite hydrogels were examined as adsorbents in a system work in batches for methylene blue (MB) and paracetamol (PCT) removal. The results show that, the presence of NPF, which dispersed in the hydrogel PVA_PVP_IC scaffolds containing both covalent and non-covalent cross-linking bonds, greatly enhanced the MB and PCT adsorption efficiency. A response surface methodology (RSM) model was used to find the best operating parameters of contaminant adsorption, including time, adsorbent dose, and starting concentration of pollutants. By using this statistical model, it was found that the optimal conditions for the adsorption reaction to achieve the complete removal of MB are 66.7 h adsorption time duration, 98.5 mg L⁻¹ starting concentration, and an adsorbent dose of 5.9 mg, while for the complete removal of PCT, it is 57.6 h adsorption time duration, 80 mg L⁻¹ starting concentration, and an adsorbent dose of 6 mg. The reusability of the nanocomposite hydrogels were tested for 5 cycles, all showed high adsorption capacity, indicating the potential for practical application of this nanocomposite hydrogel system. This study indicates that the prepared nanocomposite hydrogel raises the standard used for treatment of wastewater and also gives a solution to protect the environment and mitigate global warming.