Copper Decontamination Using Feather Keratin Amyloid-Carbon Hybrid Membranes

Copper is an essential metal used in many manufacturing processes across several important industries. This commonly results in copper-containing acidic industrial effluents that require neutralization before treatment and recovery. This generates additional secondary waste sludge that must be further treated before disposal. The valorization of industrial proteinaceous byproducts is a promising approach toward sustainable heavy metal water treatment. Here, we demonstrate the utilization of feather keratin amyloid fibrils for the removal of copper from contaminated water. Keratin amyloid fibril/carbon hybrid membranes feature high adsorption capacities of copper even at a low pH with high reusability without significant energy consumption.