Active Polymeric Composites Enhanced with Clays for Water Pollutant Remova

Abstract

The presence of synthetic dyes in wastewater, particularly from textile and industrial sources, poses a significant threat to environmental and human health. The goal of this work is to study the adsorption capability of active polymer composites including diverse Albanian clays for the removal of Methylene Blue (MB), an organic dye pollutant. This research follows a begins with the characterization via Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and particle size distributions (PSD) to analyze their structure and chemical functionalities, then followed by screening of various clays to assess their adsorption potential. Using UV-Visible spectroscopy, three promising clay samples were identified based on their high removal efficiency and low standard deviation over a 48-hour period. These selected clays were incorporated into a polycaprolactone (PCL) solution to fabricate composite mats using electrospinning. The resulting composites were further characterized to evaluate their functional performance. Finally, the pollutant removal efficiency of the PCL-clay composites was assessed under controlled conditions to make these materials appliable in water purification systems. Results demonstrate that some Albanian clays, can be effectively integrated into PCL to create composites usable for water remediation applications