# Removal of DDT, DDD, and DDE from washing extracts of contaminated soil using polyaniline/bagasse composite material

## TL;DR

A new composite material made of polyaniline and bagasse effectively removes harmful DDT-related pollutants from contaminated soil.

## Contribution

A novel PANi/bagasse composite is developed for efficient removal of DDT, DDD, and DDE from soil extracts.

## Key findings

- The PANi/bagasse composite achieved 82.63% to 86.92% efficiency in removing DDT, DDD, and DDE.
- Both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models fit the adsorption process well.
- The composite was characterized using IR and SEM to confirm its structure and properties.

## Abstract

Polyaniline (PANi) was hybridized with a bagasse (BG) substrate to treat Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane compounds, which are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) causing environmental contamination. The PANi/bagasse (PA/BG) composite was synthesized using ammonium persulfate and sulfuric acid, achieving efficiencies ranging from 82.63% to 86.92% with different ratios of PANi monomer to BG. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the synthesized materials. The adsorption capacities of DDT, DDD, and DDE compounds were investigated under various conditions, including adsorbent type, adsorption time, adsorbent dosage, and adsorbate concentration. Both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to evaluate the adsorption process, and the results indicated that both models were suitable for describing the adsorption of DDT, DDD, and DDE by the PANi/bagasse composite material.