Optimizing the removal of color and impurities from sugar beet syrup using bentonite/iron oxide nanocomposite

Efficiently eliminating impurities and colorants from sugar beet syrup is vital for producing high-quality final goods while cutting down on operational expenses. This research examines the effectiveness of a magnetic bentonite/iron oxide nanocomposite in eliminating color-causing substances from beet sugar syrup under lab settings.

Iron oxide nanoparticles were created via co-precipitation and then bonded to bentonite. The study optimized key factors like contact time, adsorbent amount, pH, and temperature using response surface methodology. Confirmation of the nanocomposite's magnetic qualities and suitable surface properties was achieved through FTIR, XRD, and SEM tests.

Acidic conditions, particularly pH 5, notably boosted decolorization efficiency and syrup clarity. Optimal conditions included pH 5, 80 °C temperature, a 200-minute contact time, and 2.36 g/L adsorbent dosage. These conditions led to a pseudo-second order kinetic model (R² = 0.981) and a Freundlich isotherm model (R² = 0.949) for the process, suggesting chemisorption on a heterogeneous surface.

Although increasing adsorbent dosage improved decolorization, surpassing the optimal dosage led to slightly reduced syrup clarity due to particle aggregation. The findings suggest the magnetic bentonite/iron oxide nanocomposite as a promising, magnetically recoverable adsorbent for sustainably purifying sugar beet syrup, although further large-scale studies are advised to assess its practicality.