This invention converts tissue paper waste into a high-performance, reusable water-treatment adsorbent for the removal of organic dyes and related contaminants from wastewater. The core concept is a lightweight electrospun nanoweb based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) modified with semi-crystalline nanocellulose (NC) extracted from discarded paper waste. By upcycling a common waste stream into a functional nanomaterial, the design addresses two pressing problems simultaneously: the accumulation of paper waste and the growing demand for efficient, low-cost, and sustainable wastewater treatment.

The material works by combining the structural stability of PAN with the surface chemistry of NC. During electrospinning, NC is integrated into the PAN matrix to form a porous nanofibrous web with strand diameters in the range of approximately 180–300 nanometer. This structure provides a large accessible surface area and interconnected transport pathways that promote rapid contaminant capture. In testing, the 20% NC@PAN formulation achieved the best performance, removing 91–94% of highly water soluble crystal violet over three consecutive reuse cycles, including at trace contaminant levels as low as 3 mg/L. This repeatable performance is significant because many adsorbents lose efficiency quickly or require unrealistically high pollutant concentrations to demonstrate strong uptake/removal.

The novelty of the invention lies in the use of waste-derived nanocellulose as a performance-enhancing additive in an electrospun adsorbent platform. Spectroscopic and diffraction analyses confirm successful incorporation of NC, while kinetic and Raman studies reveal a multimechanism adsorption process involving surface binding, inter-fiber diffusion, and multilayer adsorption. The nanocellulose improves interaction with dye molecules through hydrogen bonding and related reversible chemical interactions, resulting in stronger retention and better recyclability than unmodified PAN, which showed a marked decline in performance after reuse.

Manufacturing is straightforward and scalable. The feedstock begins with collected tissue paper waste, which is processed to extract nanocellulose using established pulping and fractionation methods. The NC is then blended with PAN in standard electrospinning (portable) equipment to produce continuous nanoweb mats. Because the process relies on known materials and conventional roll-to-roll compatible fabrication methods, the product is well suited to industrial production at moderate cost.

This technology offers following applications:

• Textile manufacturing facilities requiring efficient removal of dye contaminants from wastewater.

• Industrial wastewater treatment plants seeking reusable and cost-effective adsorption technologies.

• Point-of-use filtration cartridges for decentralized water purification systems.

• Municipal water treatment facilities aiming to improve the removal of organic pollutants and emerging contaminants.

• Portable and modular water treatment units for remote communities, disaster relief operations, and developing regions.

• Environmental remediation projects involving contaminated surface water and industrial discharge streams.

• Supports growing global demand for sustainable water treatment solutions driven by stricter environmental regulations.

• Converts low-value paper waste into a high-value filtration material, supporting circular-economy initiatives.

• Reduces operating costs through high adsorption efficiency, durability, and reusability over multiple treatment cycles.

• Enables scalable and cost-effective manufacturing using abundant waste feedstocks and established electrospinning technology.

• Offers strong commercial potential across the textile, manufacturing, municipal water treatment, environmental remediation, and filtration sectors.