Milan: Seminar on the Valorisation of Biomass

On July 7th, 2022, our employee Johanna Phuong Nong carry out a seminar on "Sorption of Metal Ions, Dyes and Crude Oil on Lignin Hydrogels" at the University of Milano-Bicocca. Ms. Nong worked in Milan for 6 weeks as part of an exchange.

Abstract: The pollution of the environment, especially of the aquatic system, is a pressing and worsening problem. Industrial processes like electroplating or mining, but also dyeing produce huge amounts of waste water, which comprises heavy metals ions like lead, copper and cadmium or hazardous dyes and chemicals. Even small amounts of these toxic materials accumulate in the environment and create an increasing danger to health of any living organism. Naval accidents and illicit tank cleaning procedures cause marine pollutions with crude oil; once the oil plaques on the surface, it is difficult to break down and becomes even more hazardous for the environment.

Lignin hydrogels may pose a solution to all the listed environmental problems. Lignin, a renewable and biodegradable biomass component, is mainly produced as a by-product of the pulping process in the pulp-and-paper industries, and more recently in the biofuel-targeting biorefineries. The produced technical lignins, in ‘original’ form or after functionalisation, can be modified with different crosslinkers to form hydrogels. These hydrogels are able to adsorb metal ions and dyes from waste water. Through pH change it is possible to recover the dyes and the metal ions from the hydrogel and to enrich them for an eventual recycling.

Special drying techniques allow to form a Xerogel, characterised by a large pore system and altered absorption characteristics; with this process it is possible to remove crude oil from water surfaces.

Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
DISAT – Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente e della Terra
Piazza della Scienza 1
20126 Milano
Italia