Solving urban water microplastics with bacterial cellulose hydrogels: Leveraging predictive computational models

Cellulose-based materials in environmental protection: A scientometric and visual analysis review

As sustainable materials, cellulose-based materials have attracted significant attention in the field of environmental protection, resulting in the publication of numerous academic papers. However, there is a scarcity of literature that involving scientometric analysis within this specific domain. This review aims to address this gap and highlight recent research in this field by utilizing scientometric analysis and a historical review. As a result, 21 highly cited articles and 10 mostly productive journals were selected out. The scientometric analysis reveals that recent studies were objectively clustered into five interconnected main themes: extraction of cellulose from raw materials and its degradation, adsorption of pollutants using cellulose-based materials, cellulose-acetate-based membrane materials, nanocellulose-based materials, and other cellulose-based materials such as carboxymethyl cellulose and bacterial cellulose for environmental protection. Analyzing the distribution of author keywords and thoroughly examining relevant literature, the research focuses within these five themes were summarized. In the future, the development of eco-friendly and cost-effective methods for extracting and preparing cellulose and its derivatives, particularly nanocellulose-based materials, remains an enduring pursuit. Additionally, machine learning techniques holds promise for the advancement and application of cellulose-based materials. Furthermore, there is potential to expand the research and application scope of cellulose-based materials for environmental protection.

Efficacy of bacterial cellulose hydrogel in microfiber removal from contaminated waters: A sustainable approach to wastewater treatment

Microfibers (MFs), the dominant form of microplastics in ecosystems, pose a significant environmental risk due to the inadequacy of existing wastewater treatments to remove them. Recognising the need to develop sustainable solutions to tackle this environmental challenge, this research aimed to find an eco-friendly solution to the pervasive problem of MFs contaminating water bodies. Unused remnants of bacterial cellulose (BC) were ground to form a hydrogel-form of bacterial cellulose (BCH) and used as a potential bioflocculant for polyacrylonitrile MFs. The flocculation efficiency was evaluated across various operational and environmental factors, employing response surface methodology computational modelling to elucidate and model their impact on the process. The results revealed that the BCH:MFs ratio and mixing intensity were key factors in flocculation efficiency, with BCH resilient across a range of environmental conditions, achieving a 93.6 % average removal rate. The BCH's strong retention of MFs released only 8.3 % of the MFs, after a 24-hour wash, and the flocculation tests in contaminated wastewater and chlorinated water yielded 89.3 % and 86.1 % efficiency, respectively. Therefore, BCH presents a viable, sustainable, and effective approach for removing MFs from MFs-contaminated water, exhibiting exceptional flocculation performance and adaptability. This pioneer study using BCH as a bioflocculant for MFs removal sets a new standard in sustainable wastewater treatment, catalysing research on fibrous pollutant mitigation for environmental protection.