Use of Insect-Derived Chitosan for the Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Wastewater: Process Optimization Using a Central Composite Design

Ilham Ben Amor; Hadia Hemmami; Salah Eddine Laouini; Soumeia Zeghoud; Mourad Benzina; Sami Achour; Abanoub Naseef; Ali Alsalme; Ahmed Barhoum

doi:10.3390/ma16145049

Use of Insect-Derived Chitosan for the Removal of Methylene Blue Dye from Wastewater: Process Optimization Using a Central Composite Design

Materials (Basel). 2023 Jul 17;16(14):5049. doi: 10.3390/ma16145049.

Authors

Ilham Ben Amor^{1

2}, Hadia Hemmami^{1

2}, Salah Eddine Laouini^{1

3}, Soumeia Zeghoud^{1

2}, Mourad Benzina⁴, Sami Achour⁵, Abanoub Naseef⁶, Ali Alsalme⁷, Ahmed Barhoum⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Process Engineering and Petrochemical, Faculty of Technology, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria.
² Renewable Energy Development unit in Arid Zones (UDERZA), University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria.
³ Laboratory of Biotechnology Biomaterials and Condensed Materials, Faculte de la Technologie, University of El Oued, El Oued 39000, Algeria.
⁴ Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory, National School of Engineers of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax 3083, Tunisia.
⁵ Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Monastir ISBM, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
⁶ NanoStruc Research Group, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo 11795, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Insects are a readily available source of chitosan due to their high reproductive rates, ease of breeding, and resistance to changes in their ecosystem. This study aimed to extract chitosan from several widespread insects: Blaps lethifera (CS-BL), Pimelia fernandezlopezi (CS-PF), and Musca domestica (CS-MD). The study was also extended to using the obtained chitosans in removing methylene blue dye (MB) from wastewater. The source of the chitosan, the initial concentration of MB dye, and the reaction time were chosen as the working parameters. The experiments were designed using a central composite design (CCD) based on the dye removal efficiency as the response variable. The experimental work and statistical calculation of the CCD showed that the dye removal efficiency ranged from 35.9% to 88.7% for CS-BL, from 18.8% to 47.1% for CS-PF, and from 10.3% to 29.0% for CS-MD at an initial MB concentration of 12.79 mg/L. The highest methylene blue dye removal efficiency was 88.7% for CS-BL at a reaction time of 120 min. This indicates that the extraction of chitosan from insects (Blaps lethifera) and its application in dye removal is a promising, environmentally friendly, economical, biodegradable, and cost-effective process. Furthermore, the CCD is a statistical experimental design technique that can be used to optimize process variables for removing other organic pollutants using chitosan.

Keywords: adsorption parameters; central composite design; chitosan extraction; dye removal efficiency; methylene blue; natural adsorbents; reaction time.

Grants and funding

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. This work is part of the research work of Ilham Ben Amor (MSc, University of El Oued), Hadia Hemmami (MSc), and Abanoub Naseef (MSc, Helwan University), who are working under the supervision of Salah Eddine Laouini (University of El Oued) and Ahmed Barhoum (Helwan University).