Synthesis of Sugarcane Bagasse Based Zeolite and Optimization of Particle Size, Reagent Ratio, Contact Time, and Microwave Influence

Abstract

The persistent contribution of agricultural wastes to the total global solid waste underscores the urgent necessity for environmentally sustainable approaches to their management. This study explored the synthesis and optimization of zeolite derived from cost-effective sugarcane bagasse via microwave sintering, employing four key process variables: particle size (90-200 µm), reagent ratio (0.5-1), contact time (10-20 min.), and microwave power (400-700 W), through a full factorial design. The investigation revealed that these parameters exerted diverse influences on the porosity of the resultant zeolite. Optimal synthesis conditions were identified at particle size of 200 µm, reagent ratio of 0.5, contact time of 20 minutes, and power of 400 W. A linear model was developed for this process with indices such as R² (0.9976), Adjusted R² (0.9823), Predicted R² (0.8492), Adeq Precision (28.3118), Std. Dev. (0.5942) and C.V. % (0.9632) indicating the high accuracy of the model and its adequacy for predicting the porosity of the produced zeolite with good precision. Additionally, the enhanced porosity exhibited by the synthesized zeolite indicated heightened adsorptive capacity. The substantial adsorption potential of the optimized zeolite thus offers promising prospects for wastewater treatment, effectively addressing numerous environmental challenges and transforming waste into wealth.