Effective removal of cationic dyes in water by polyacrylonitrile/silica aerogel/modified antibacterial starch particles/zinc oxide beaded fibers prepared by electrospinning

In this study, potassium persulfate, N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA), and soluble starch (ST) were in situ cross-linked into porous antimicrobial starch particles containing N-halamine functional groups (PST–MBA–Cl). Then, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/silica aerogel (SA)/zinc oxide (ZnO) beaded fibers containing PST–MBA–Cl particles were prepared by electrospinning. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated the uniform dispersion of the PST–MBA–Cl particles and ZnO on the surface and interior of the beaded fiber when the concentration of the PST–MBA–Cl particles was 15%. The composite beaded fibers prepared after chlorination and soaking in zinc salt solutions of different pH values had a higher degree of interior fluffiness. For the analysis of the effectivity of the prepared particles using 108 CFU/mL gram-positive (S. aureus) and gram-negative (E. coli) bacterial human pathogens, the inhibition zone was 15.97 ± 0.12 and 17.81 ± 0.23 mm, respectively. Meanwhile, the degradation efficiency of PAN and SA for the cationic dye methylene blue (MB) was 88.00% ± 1.83%. The PAN/SA/PST–MBA–Cl/ZnO composite beaded fiber showed good antibacterial properties and a fast recovery rate, and its degradation efficiency for MB was retained at ~ 80% after five cycles. Thus, the PAN/SA/ PST–MBA–Cl/ZnO beaded fibers can be used as an environment-friendly and reusable adsorbing material for the removal of dyes from industrial wastewater.