With the continuing efforts to explore alternatives to petrochemical-based polymers and the escalating demand to minimize environmental impact, bio-based polymers have gained a massive amount of attention over the last few decades. The potential uses of these bio-based polymers are varied, from household goods to high end and advanced applications. To some extent, they can solve the depletion and sustainability issues of conventional polymers. As such, this article reviews the trends and developments of bio-based polymers for the preparation of polymer electrolytes that are intended for use in electrochemical device applications. A range of bio-based polymers are presented by focusing on the source, the general method of preparation, and the properties of the polymer electrolyte system, specifically with reference to the ionic conductivity. Some major applications of bio-based polymer electrolytes are discussed. This review examines the past studies and future prospects of these materials in the polymer electrolyte field.

The combination of compounds with different classes (hydrophobic and hydrophilic characters) in single chitosan carrier is a challenge due to the hydrophilicity of chitosan. Utilization of l-ascorbic acid (LAA) and thymoquinone (TQ) compounds as effective antioxidants is marred by poor bioavailability and uptake. Nanoparticles (NPs) solved the problem by functioning as a carrier for them because they have high surface areas for more efficient delivery and uptake by cells. This research, therefore, synthesized chitosan NPs (CNPs) containing LAA and TQ, CNP-LAA-TQ via ionic gelation routes as the preparation is non-toxic. They were characterized using electron microscopy, zetasizer, UV–VIS spectrophotometry, and infrared spectroscopy. The optimum CNP-LAA-TQ size produced was 141.5 ± 7.8 nm, with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.207 ± 0.013. The encapsulation efficiency of CNP-LAA-TQ was 22.8 ± 3.2% for LAA and 35.6 ± 3.6% for TQ. Combined hydrophilic LAA and hydrophobic TQ proved that a myriad of highly efficacious compounds with poor systemic uptake could be encapsulated together in NP systems to increase their pharmaceutical efficiency, indirectly contributing to the advancement of medical and pharmaceutical sectors.

Quaternized kenaf core fiber (QKCF) was used as an adsorbent for adsorption of anionic Acid Blue-25 (AB) and anionic Acid Green-25 (AG) dyes. Chemical treatment with (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammonium chloride under basic condition was applied in order to alter the surface properties of the raw kenaf core fiber. Adsorption studies were carried out to delineate the effect of initial dye concentration, temperature and pH on removal of dyes. The results show that the percentage removal of Acid Blue-25 and Acid Green-25 dyes were increased by increasing the concentrations of dyes. In addition, the maximum percentage removal was 99.8% and 99.65% for Acid Blue-25 and Acid Green-25, respectively. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were applied to analyze the data for dye adsorption at 15℃, 25℃, 35℃, and 45℃. The experimental data were best represented by the Langmuir model with maximum adsorption capacity of 303.03 mg/g and 344.83 mg/g for Acid Blue-25 and Acid Green-25 dyes, respectively, at 15℃, and the kinetic data for both dyes were best represented by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the reactions of Acid Blue-25 and Acid Green-25 dyes were endothermic. It was concluded that QKCF adsorbent can be utilized as an efficient low-cost adsorbent for removal of anionic dyes.

The blooming of the world’s human population and the transition of the human diet into a more westernized, high-protein diet has accelerated the production of slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) as the number of meat processing plants (MPP) has increased in the past few decades. Conventional treatment processes (CTP) used in treating SWW, such as anaerobic processes, membrane processes, and electrocoagulation, have significant limitations, such as low treatment efficiency, tendency to foul, and high energy consumption, respectively. While advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) appear promising in replacing the former, they lack economic feasibility when used as a single process. In this paper, the limitations and disadvantages of the CTPs used in treating SWW influents are evaluated. The idea of utilising AOPs as a “complementary” step rather than a single process is also discussed. The review paper further explores the variability of different AOPs, such as Fenton, Electro-Fenton, Sono-Fenton, etc., and their respective strengths and weaknesses in counteracting the limitations of CTPs. The idea of incorporating resource recovery into wastewater treatment is also discussed towards the end of the paper as a means of generating additional revenue for the industry players to compensate for the high operation and maintenance costs of SWW treatment. The integration of a new-generation treatment process such as AOP into CTP while being able to carry out resource recovery is a future hurdle that must be overcome by scientists in order to produce a versatile, powerful, sustainable, yet financially feasible and operationally pragmatic treatment system.

Thiourea-modified poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) (TU-poly(AN-co-AA)) adsorbent was a surface modification of poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) synthesized by facile redox polymerization. Surface functionalization with thiourea was carried out to provide hydrophilicity on the surface of a polymeric adsorbent. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Zetasizer characterized the morphology and structures of TU-poly(AN-co-AA). Copolymerization of poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) and its successful incorporation of the thioamide group was confirmed by the FTIR spectra. The SEM micrographs depicted uniform and porous surface morphologies of polymeric particles. The average diameter of modified and unmodified poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid) was 289 nm and 279 nm, respectively. Zeta potentials of TU-poly(AN-co-AA) revealed the negatively charged surface of the prepared polymer. Adsorption capacities of hydrophilic TU-poly(AN-co-AA) were investigated using malachite green (MG) as an adsorbate by varying experimental conditions (pH, initial concentration, and temperature). Results showed that the pseudo-second-order reaction model best described the adsorption process with chemisorption being the rate-limiting step. Furthermore, Elovich and intraparticle diffusions play a significant role in adsorption kinetics. The equilibrium isotherm has its fitness in the following order: Freundlich model > Temkin model > Langmuir model. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that the sorption process is spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The reusability results suggested potential applications of the TU-poly(AN-co-AA) polymer in adsorption and separation of cationic malachite green dye from wastewater.

The paper evaluates the adsorptive potential of thiourea-modified poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylic acid), (TA-poly(AN-co-AA)) for the uptake of cationic methylene blue (MB) from aquatic environments via a batch system. TA-poly(AN-co-AA) polymer was synthesized through redox polymerization and modified with thiourea (TA) where thioamide groups were introduced to the surface. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), CHNS and Zetasizer were used to characterize the physico-chemical and morphological properties of prepared TA-poly(AN-co-AA). Afterwards, it was confirmed that incorporation of thioamide groups was successful. The adsorption kinetics and equilibrium adsorption data were best described, respectively, by a pseudo-second-order model and Freundlich model. Thermodynamic analysis showed the exothermic and spontaneous nature of MB uptake by TA-poly(AN-co-AA). The developed TA-poly(AN-co-AA) polymer demonstrated efficient separation of MB dye from the aqueous solution and maintained maximum adsorption capacity after five regeneration cycles. The findings of this study suggested that synthesized TA-poly(AN-co-AA) can be applied successfully to remove cationic dyes from aquatic environments.