Lignin nanoparticle-decorated nanocellulose cryogels as adsorbents for pharmaceutical pollutants

Adsorption is a relatively simple wastewater treatment method that has the potential to mitigate the impacts of pharmaceutical pollution. This requires the development of reusable adsorbents that can simultaneously remove pharmaceuticals of varying chemical structure and properties. Here, the adsorption potential of nanostructured wood-based adsorbents towards different pharmaceuticals in a multi-component system was investigated. The adsorbents in the form of macroporous cryogels were prepared by anchoring lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) to the nanocellulose network via electrostatic attraction. The naturally anionic LNPs were anchored to cationic cellulose nanofibrils (cCNF) and the cationic LNPs (cLNPs) were combined with anionic TEMPO-oxidized CNF (TCNF), producing two sets of nanocellulose-based cryogels that also differed in their overall surface charge density. The cryogels, prepared by freeze-drying, showed layered cellulosic sheets randomly decorated with spherical lignin on the surface. They exhibited varying selectivity and efficiency in removing pharmaceuticals with differing aromaticity, polarity and ionic characters. Their adsorption potential was also affected by the type (unmodified or cationic), amount and morphology of the lignin nanomaterials, as well as the pH of the pharmaceutical solution.