Microwave-assisted extraction of banana peel bio-flocculant and its potential in wastewater treatment

Lau Zhi Eng 1 and Kiew Peck Loo 2, *

1 Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2 Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
 
Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances, 2019, 01(01), 001-009.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gjeta.2019.1.1.0001
Publication history: 
Received on 13 October 2019; revised on 22 November 2019; accepted on 30 November 2019
 
Abstract: 
Coagulation-flocculation process has been continuously investigated as a significant process to reduce water turbidity in wastewater treatment, owing to the process simplicity and economic feasibility. In this research, the performance of extracted banana peel as bio-flocculant for turbidity removal under different extraction methods and conditions was investigated. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was found to be more effective compared to conventional heating extraction (CHE), with higher turbidity removal efficiency at 45.16%, shorter extraction time and lesser energy requirement. The most optimum turbidity removal percentage was attained by using bio-flocculant extracted with low microwave power, 30 s of extraction duration and banana peel dosage of 5 g/100 ml distilled water. The banana peel bio-flocculant demonstrated potential to be used as a replacement to alum as the turbidity removal as high as 97.06% was recorded using bio-flocculant alone, which was not significantly different from 99.22% removal through the utilization of alum. This offered a greener option in coagulation and flocculation process in reducing utilization of chemical-based coagulant.
Keywords: 
Banana peel; Bio-flocculant; Turbidity removal; Microwave; Extraction
 
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