Rapid and Selective Recovery of Boron from Desalination Waste Using N-Methyl- d -glucamine-Modified Bioadsorbent

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Recovering boron (B) from desalination brine is essential for sustainable resource management and meeting critical raw material demands. In this study, we designed and evaluated a novel bioadsorbent, N -methyl- d -glucamine (NMDG)-modified cellulose (MGMC), for selective B recovery from desalination brine. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms, selectivity, and influence of competing salts were examined, along with B recovery from seawater and simulated desalination brine. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and pH at the point of zero charge (pH PZC ) analysis were used to elucidate the adsorption mechanism. MGMC attained rapid adsorption equilibrium within 0.5 h and exhibited a high B adsorption capacity of 1,647 μmol g –1, surpassing commercial adsorbents and most previously reported NMDG-modified derivatives. Moreover, MGMC demonstrated excellent selectivity for B, effectively rejecting diverse metals and oxyanions. Furthermore, it achieved ≥97% B sorption from seawater and simulated brine with shorter contact times and lower dosages than commercial resins. MGMC’s outstanding B selectivity is attributed to the strong coordinated interaction between B and the hydroxy groups in its NMDG-rich structure, further aided by a low pH PZC (6.9). Our findings demonstrate MGMC as a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for selective B recovery from desalination processes, presenting a promising avenue for sustainable resource management.