Degradation of Dyes Using Plantain Fibers Modified with Nanoparticles

Natural fibers are a good option to degrade dyes. In this work, nanoparticles of MnO2 were obtained onto the surface of natural fibers (Plantain Pseudostem) via in situ synthesis in order to perform a new treatment for pollution and dyes. The fibers were treated with Hydrochloric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide to modify their surface (cationization), and then they were immersed in a KMnO4 solution (2 mM). The treatment was done in an ultrasonic bath and the dye degradation was monitored by UV-Vis with a xenon lamp by detecting the maximum dye peak and the Color Removal Percentage (CR%) after 15 min of soaking. The results showed that the removal of dyes was 90 % after rinsing. The morphology of the fibers was studied in an electron microscope (FE-SEM) with a coupled microanalysis detector (EDS). The test confirmed that MnO2 nanoparticles were synthetized onto the surface of the natural fibers.