Sugarcane Bagasse, Zeolite (Clinoptilolite) Clay and Nano-Silica Bio-Adsorbent for the Removal of Pollutants in Poultry Wastewater

Sugarcane represents a significant agricultural commodity extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions globally. Following the industrial processing of sugarcane, a substantial quantity of the byproduct known as sugarcane bagasse (SCB) is generated. Due to the overwhelming production of this biomass, bagasse is often incinerated as a method of solid waste management, leading to environmental problems. To remediate poultry wastewater, agricultural residue was repurposed into a bagasse-based bio-adsorbent enhanced with nano-silica and zeolite clay. FTIR analysis indicated the existence of functional groups such as the O-H stretching, C=C stretching, C-H bending, and C-N stretching. SEM-EDX analysis demonstrated that the synthesized bio-adsorbent exhibits a microporous structure, which is beneficial for filtration applications, and consists of varying concentrations of oxygen, carbon, and silicon. Moreover, the composite achieved up to 100% Cd removal, 100% As removal, 54.76% Pb removal, and 40% Hg removal, while reducing coliform counts by 93.42–99.11%. Dissolved oxygen increased by as much as 60.19%, and total ammoniacal nitrogen decreased by up to 42.05%, demonstrating the material’s strong remediation potential. Furthermore, notable enhancements in the physicochemical properties of the poultry wastewater, including temperature and pH, were also documented. This research study elucidates a significant improvement in the treatment of wastewater through the utilization of agricultural by-products sugarcane bagasse, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of nano-silica and zeolite integration in developing sustainable and efficient adsorbent materials for wastewater remediation.