Circular Bio-Based Polymer Networks with Magnetic Responsiveness for Environmental Remediation

The increasing occurrence of pharmaceutical contaminants in aquatic environments has stimulated the development of sustainable polymeric materials for water remediation. In this work, a multifunctional bio-based adsorbent was developed by combining bacterial cellulose (BC), a renewable biopolymer produced through microbial fermentation, with phosphonium-based polymer networks and silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂) to form a magnetic semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN).
The material was synthesized using a Doehlert experimental design, enabling optimization of formulation parameters and control over network architecture. The resulting structure integrates the high porosity, hydrophilicity, and mechanical stability of bacterial cellulose with the functionality of phosphonium groups and the magnetic responsiveness of ferrite nanoparticles, generating a porous material with a high density of adsorption sites.
Characterization by FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, SEM–EDS, thermogravimetric analysis, rheology, swelling studies, and vibrating sample magnetometry confirmed successful network formation, homogeneous nanoparticle incorporation, structural stability, and preservation of magnetic properties.
The developed semi-IPNs were evaluated for the removal of pharmaceutical contaminants, particularly antibiotic compounds frequently detected in wastewater. The materials exhibited high adsorption performance, attributed to synergistic interactions between the cellulose framework, phosphonium functionalities, and magnetic nanostructures. In addition, magnetic responsiveness offers opportunities for externally assisted recovery and process intensification.
These findings demonstrate a sustainable approach for designing advanced polymeric materials from renewable resources and highlight the potential of magnetic bacterial cellulose-based semi-IPNs as promising platforms for water treatment and environmental remediation within a circular materials framework.