Ultrasound-assisted formation of composite materials from fish scale waste hydroxyapatite in the presence of gamma-irradiated chitosan for the removal of malachite green

Abstract

The fish processing sector produces millions of tons of trash annually—a biologically dangerous substance that could eventually turn into a source of pathogenic contamination. This work successfully shows how to extract tilapia fish scale hydroxyapatite with ultrasonic assistance and modify it using gamma-irradiated chitosan to remove malachite green from water samples. The prepared adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic light scattering. Isotherm modeling was employed to investigate the sorption process of malachite green. The results revealed that the adsorbent could be used to remove malachite green in aqueous media, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 285.7 mg g⁻¹. A pseudo-second-order model was then fitted to the kinetic data. The R² value of 0.9851 obtained indicated that the adsorption behavior was consistent with the Langmuir model. Analysis of the computed thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption of the dye was a spontaneous and exothermic process. Proper waste management practices not only ensure environmental responsibility but also contribute to positive community relations by minimizing the impact on the local environment.