Scientists from the Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which is a member of the Yenisei Siberia Research Center, have developed a method for producing a highly effective and environmentally friendly sorbent from wood processing waste, such as Siberian spruce sawdust.
As industrial activity increases, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, copper, and iron are increasingly accumulating in soils and water bodies. These concentrations can affect plant growth and enter the food chain.
Krasnoyarsk scientists isolated a natural biopolymer, galactoglucomannan, from sawdust, which is predominantly found in coniferous wood. In its natural form, it has limited ability to bind heavy metal ions, but the researchers were able to improve its properties through chemical processing. The modified sorbent exhibited a high capacity to attract and retain heavy metal ions from water.
The key advantages of the sorbent are as follows: efficiency – it sorbs several metals at once, surpassing some synthetic analogues in terms of capacity; environmental friendliness – it is a renewable, biodegradable raw material; and potential – the technology paves the way for the creation of new safe filters for the treatment of industrial wastewater and water.
This development is significant for regional industrial companies, as it opens up opportunities for the implementation of efficient green technologies using local raw materials.
The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation.
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The world-class Yenisei Siberia Research and Education Center (REC) was established in 2019. It is an interregional association initiated by the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republics of Khakassia and Tyva. The REC participants include 28 research and educational organizations and enterprises in the real sector of the economy.
Source: ksc.krasn.ru