Construction of portable drinking water device using an agricultural biomass-derived material of polyethylenimine-grafted-corncob. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shen, Chong; Wu, Shengdong; Meng, Qin
• Is Part Of: Food control. Volume 130(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Drinking water -- Purificaton -- Anti-bacterial -- Heavy metal ion -- Natural water; Food -- Quality -- Periodicals; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food handling -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Quality control -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Qualité -- Contrôle -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Qualité -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Analyse -- Périodiques; Hygiène alimentaire -- Périodiques; Food -- Analysis; Food handling; Food -- Quality; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 664.07
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108375
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-7135

Abstract

Abstract: Corncob has been well known as a low-cost, green and reliable cellulose material but is usually discarded as an agricultural waste without utilization. In this study, the corncob was functionalized with polyethylenimine and then its potentiality for portable water purification is investigated. The portable device containing polyethylenimine-grafted-corncob (PEI- g -OC) particles is used for removing the contaminations of heavy metal ions, bacteria and organic chemicals in water. As found, the device presented high efficiency on removing heavy metal ions of Cu 2+, Cd 2+ and Pb 2+ at concentrations up to 50 mg/L and was able to kill the model bacteria of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and E. coli at high concentrations up to 10 6 CFU/ml. Then, the PEI-g-OC portable device is constructed for filtering purification of the two natural water samples from local lakes, which showed a high removal ratio of >99% for heavy metal ions/bacteria and about 90% for chemical oxygen demand (COD). The portable device with 20 g PEI-g-OC is able to provide 300 B.V. (i.e. 15 L) of drinkable water for 3–5 days dairy drinking by one person. Since PEI-g-OC is degradable and does not leach any biocides, it is an environmentally sustainable option for disposable water purification devices. Highlights: PEI-g-OC portable device removed heavy metal ions and bacteria from water. A portable device provides 15 L of drinkable water for 3–5 days dairy drinking. PEI-g-OC is low-cost, degradable and does not leach any biocides.