Synergistic integration of banana peel activated carbon-sodium alginate beads and Eichhornia crassipes as a smart hybrid system for efficient methylene blue removal

Abstract

The persistence of Methylene Blue (MB) poses severe environmental risks, necessitating advanced and sustainable remediation strategies. As a proposed solution, we investigate a novel synergistic approach that integrates Eichhornia crassipes with Banana Peel Activated Carbon-Sodium Alginate (BPAC-SA) beads to degrade MB. The objective is to evaluate the hybrid system's remediation performance and dynamic physicochemical changes using a real-time Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring platform. Structural characterisation via FTIR, XRD, and SEM reveals that the incorporation of BPAC significantly increases the material's microporosity, facilitating suitable pollutant binding. The hybrid configuration achieved a remarkable removal efficiency of 92.60%, which was well fitted by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model (R² = 0.994) and the Langmuir isotherm (R² = 0.997). Furthermore, a rapid adsorption phase and solar-thermal response are observed in real time via IoT analysis, confirming rapid mass transfer and thermal sensitivity of the composite. Additionally, the hybrid system exhibited a cost profile of approximately Rp 8.45 per batch and maintained high stability across five consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles. The underlying mechanisms involve a dual process of rapid physicochemical adsorption by the beads and sustained rhizo-filtration by the plant roots. Consequently, this eco-friendly integration offers a promising strategy for scalable and sustainable wastewater management.

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