Copper (Cu²⁺) is a common contaminant in industrial wastewater and poses significant environmental and health risks at elevated concentrations. Chitosan–zeolite composites are widely studied for Cu²⁺ adsorption; however, biopolymer-based membranes often face challenges related to mechanical stability under hydrated conditions. In this study, a chitosan–zeolite composite membrane reinforced with banana stem fiber (BSF) was developed, and the trade-off between functional group availability (–OH/–NH₂), swelling behavior, and mechanical performance was evaluated. Banana stem fibers were pretreated and incorporated at two loadings (0.5 g and 1.0 g), followed by glutaraldehyde crosslinking and solution casting. Cu²⁺ adsorption performance was assessed using synthetic aqueous solutions (10 ppm, 25 ppm and 50 ppm) and quantified by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) with variation time 0, 1, 6, and 24 hours. The incorporation of BSF improved dry-state mechanical robustness compared to the control membrane, indicating effective biomass-based reinforcement. However, increased hydrophilicity led to pronounced swelling in aqueous environments, influencing structural integrity during prolonged exposure. Overall, the results demonstrate that banana stem fiber can enhance short-term Cu²⁺ adsorption performance while highlighting the importance of balancing adsorption functionality and wet-state mechanical stability in biopolymer-based membranes.
sadat et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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