Biochar/MnAl-LDH composites for Cu (ΙΙ) removal from aqueous solution

One-Pot Preparation of Layered Double Hydroxide-Engineered Boric Acid Root and Application in Wastewater

Heavy metals and organic pollutants are prevalent in water bodies, causing great damage to the environment and human beings. Hence, it is urgent to develop a kind of adsorbent with good performance. Anion interlacing layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a promising adsorbent for the sustainable removal of heavy metal ions and dyes from wastewater. Using aluminum chloride, zinc chloride and ammonium pentaborate tetrahydrate (NH4B5O8 · 4H2O, BA) as raw materials, the LDHs complex (BA-LDHs) of B5O8- intercalation was prepared by one-step hydrothermal method. The BA-LDHs samples were characterized by a X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The results showed that B5O8- was successfully intercalated. Adsorption experimental results suggested that BA-LDHs possess a maximum adsorption capacity of 18.7, 57.5, 70.2, and 3.12 mg·g-1 for Cd(II), Cu(II), Cr(VI) and Methylene blue (MB) at Cs = 2 g·L-1, respectively. The adsorption experiment conforms to the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models, and the kinetic adsorption data are well fitted by the pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic equation. The as-prepared BA-LDHs have potential application prospects in the removal of heavy metals and dyes in wastewater. More importantly, they also provide a strategy for preparing selective adsorbents.

High-performance biochar-loaded MgAl-layered double oxide adsorbents derived from sewage sludge towards nanoplastics removal: Mechanism elucidation and QSAR modeling

Utilization of sewage sludge for the fabrication of environmental functional materials is highly desirable to achieve pollution mitigation and resource recovery. In the present work, we introduced a novel MgAl-layered double oxide (LDO)@biochar composite adsorbent in-situ fabricated from Al-rich sewage sludge, and its excellent application in nanoplastics adsorption. Initially, fifteen model contaminants with varied conjugate structures, hydrogen bonding and ionic properties were selected for an investigation of adsorption behavior and adsorption selectivity on LDO@biochar. Structural variation of LDO@biochar suggested reconstruction of the layered double hydroxide (LDH) during the adsorption process due to the "memory effect". Under the synergy of LDH and biochar, the contaminants were adsorbed via multiple adsorbent-adsorbate interactions, including anion exchange, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding and π-π conjugation. Then, a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was constructed by integrating the number of hydrogen bond acceptors, polarity surface area, number of aromatic rings, and Fukui index f(-)x together to reflect the affinity of each contaminant to the adsorbent. Guided by the QSAR model, the negatively charged polystyrene nanoplastics with continuously conjugated aromatic rings were predicted to be effectively adsorbed on LDO@biochar. Experimental tests confirmed a great capacity of LDO@biochar towards the polystyrene nanoplastics, given the equilibrium adsorption capacity as high as 360 mg g-1 at 30-50 °C. This work not only opened up a new avenue for sustainable utilization of sewage sludge towards high-performance environmental functional materials, but also demonstrated the potential of the QSAR analysis as a rapid and accurate approach for guiding the application of an adsorbent to new emerging containments.

Biochar/layered double hydroxides composites as catalysts for treatment of organic wastewater by advanced oxidation processes: A review

Heterogeneous advanced oxidation process has been widely studied as an effective method for removing organic pollutants in wastewater, but the development of efficient catalysts is still challenging. This review summaries the present status of researches on biochar/layered double hydroxides composites (BLDHCs) as catalysts for treatment of organic wastewater. The synthesis methods of layered double hydroxides, the characterizations of BLDHCs, the impacts of process factors influencing catalytic performance, and research advances in various advanced oxidation processes are discussed in this work. The integration of layered double hydroxides and biochar provides synthetic effects for improving pollutant removal. The enhanced pollutant degradation in heterogeneous Fenton, sulfate radical-based, sono-assisted, and photo-assisted processes using BLDHCs have been verified. Pollutant degradation in heterogeneous advanced oxidation processes using BLDHCs is influenced by process factors such as catalyst dosage, oxidant addition, solution pH, reaction time, temperature, and co-existing substances. BLDHCs are promising catalysts due to the unique features including easy preparation, distinct structure, adjustable metal ions, and high stability. Currently, catalytic degradation of organic pollutants using BLDHCs is still in its infancy. More researches should be conducted on the controllable synthesis of BLDHCs, the in-depth understanding of catalytic mechanism, the improvement of catalytic performance, and large-scale application of treating real wastewater.

Efficient Adsorption Capacity of MgFe-Layered Double Hydroxide Loaded on Pomelo Peel Biochar for Cd (II) from Aqueous Solutions: Adsorption Behaviour and Mechanism

A novel pomelo peel biochar/MgFe-layered double hydroxide composite (PPBC/MgFe-LDH) was synthesised using a facile coprecipitation approach and applied to remove cadmium ions (Cd (II)). The adsorption isotherm demonstrated that the Cd (II) adsorption by the PPBC/MgFe-LDH composite fit the Langmuir model well, and the adsorption behaviour was a monolayer chemisorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd (II) was determined to be 448.961 (±12.3) mg·g^-1 from the Langmuir model, which was close to the actual experimental adsorption capacity 448.302 (±1.41) mg·g^-1. The results also demonstrated that the chemical adsorption controlled the rate of reaction in the Cd (II) adsorption process of PPBC/MgFe-LDH. Piecewise fitting of the intra-particle diffusion model revealed multi-linearity during the adsorption process. Through associative characterization analysis, the adsorption mechanism of Cd (II) of PPBC/MgFe-LDH involved (i) hydroxide formation or carbonate precipitation; (ii) an isomorphic substitution of Fe (III) by Cd (II); (iii) surface complexation of Cd (II) by functional groups (-OH); and (iv) electrostatic attraction. The PPBC/MgFe-LDH composite demonstrated great potential for removing Cd (II) from wastewater, with the advantages of facile synthesis and excellent adsorption capacity.

Facilitated catalytic ozonation of atrazine over highly stabilized Zn-Al layered double oxides composites: efficacy and mechanism

A series of Zn-Al Layered Double Oxides (ZnAl-LDO) composites were prepared by the hydrothermal and calcination method via employing the Zn-Al Layered Double Hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH) as the precursors in the present study. The structural properties and the catalytic ozonation activity of Zn_rAl-T composites synthesized with different Zn/Al molar ratios and calcination temperatures were systematically investigated. Diversified characterizations were applied to analyze the phase structure and chemical composition of Zn_rAl-T composites. As the calcination temperature increased, the layered ZnAl-LDH structure could be entirely destroyed and the crystallinity gradually improved. With the Zn/Al mole ratio of 4.0 and calcination temperature of 500°C, the Zn4Al-500 composite obtained the outstanding catalytic ozonation performance for atrazine (ATZ) degradation with the pseudo-first-order constant of 0.5080 min^-1, which was 5 times more than that in O₃ alone. Meanwhile, the ATZ degradation efficiency was gradually enhanced from 44.1% to 99.9% within 3.0 min when the solution pH ranged from 3.0 to 10.0. Besides, the Zn₄Al-500 composite exhibited splendid stability over multiple reaction cycles. In addition, the radical scavenging test and electron spin resonance measurement demonstrated that superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical are the dominant reactive species in O₃/Zn₄Al-500 process. Moreover, nineteen and ten transformation products were detected in O₃ alone and O₃/Zn₄Al-500 process, and possible degradation pathways of ATZ were further elucidated. Overall, the Zn₄Al-500 composite would provide a potential alternative for pollutants removal due to its high catalytic ozonation efficiency, stability, and reusability.

Remediation of Cu and As contaminated water and soil utilizing biochar supported layered double hydroxide: Mechanisms and soil environment altering

Preparing materials for simultaneous remediation of anionic and cationic heavy metals contamination has always been the focus of research. Herein a biochar supported FeMnMg layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites (LB) for simultaneous remediation of copper and arsenic contamination in water and soil has been assembled by a facile co-precipitation approach. Both adsorption isotherm and kinetics studies of heavy metals removal by LB were applied to look into the adsorption performance of adsorbents in water. Moreover, the adsorption mechanisms of Cu and As by LB were investigated, showing that Cu in aqueous solution was removed by the isomorphic substitution, precipitation and electrostatic adsorption while As was removed by complexation. In addition, the availability of Cu and As in the soil incubation experiments was reduced by 35.54%-63.00% and 8.39%-29.04%, respectively by using LB. Meanwhile, the addition of LB increased the activities of urease and sucrase by 93.78%-374.35% and 84.35%-520.04%, respectively, of which 1% of the dosage was the best. A phenomenon was found that the richness and structure of microbial community became vigorous within 1% dosage of LB, which indirectly enhanced the passivation and stabilization of heavy metals. These results indicated that the soil environment was significantly improved by LB. This research demonstrates that LB would be an imaginably forceful material for the remediation of anionic and cationic heavy metals in contaminated water and soil.

Insights into the heavy metal adsorption and immobilization mechanisms of CaFe-layered double hydroxide corn straw biochar: Synthesis and application in a combined heavy metal-contaminated environment

Biochar is an emerging eco-friendly and high-efficiency heavy metal (HM) adsorbent that exhibits satisfactory HM remediation effects in both water and soil environments. However, few studies have investigated the mechanisms and application of biochar in the remediation of combined HM-contaminated environments. Therefore, in the present study, a novel corn straw biochar-loaded calcium-iron layered double hydroxide composite (CaFe-LDH@CSB) was synthesized via the coprecipitation method and applied as a remediation adsorbent to remove HMs in both water and soil environments. The results indicated that the HM adsorption mechanism of CaFe-LDH@CSB in the aquatic phase involved a chemical endothermic adsorption process of functional group-complexed monolayers, dominated by precipitation, ion exchange, complexation and π bond interactions. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cd(II), Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cu(II) in the aqueous phase reached 24.58, 240.96, 57.57 and 39.35 mg g^-1, respectively. In addition, application of CaFe-LDH@CSB in the combined HM-contaminated soil treatment helped to increase the soil pH, which increased by 5.1-17.9% in low-contamination (LC) soil and by 7.0-13.9% in high-contamination (HC) soil. Moreover, application of CaFe-LDH@CSB effectively decreased the acid-soluble fraction of HMs and increased the HM residual fraction. The immobilization mechanism of CaFe-LDH@CSB in the soil was concluded to involve pore filling, functional group action and electrostatic interactions. Overall, this study provided a novel LDH biochar composite that can be effectively applied in the remediation of combined HM-contaminated water and soil environments.

Alfalfa biochar supported Mg-Fe layered double hydroxide as filter media to remove trace metal(loid)s from stormwater

Polluted stormwater (PSW) treatment is becoming increasingly important because of the existence of multiple pollutants from non-point pollution sources. Alfalfa biochar loaded with Mg/Fe layered double hydroxide (AF-LDH) was successfully synthesized to remove trace metal(loid)s from stormwater. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of metal(loid)s in a mono-component system and the reusability of the composite materials was investigated in this study. The result showed that the maximum removal efficiency for Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), As(V), and Cr(VI) were 98.98 %, 98.11 %, 97.88 %, 97.71 %, 98.81 %, and 50.89 %, respectively, when added calcined AF-LDH (AF-LDO) composite material to the multi-component solution. The AF-LDH and AF-LDO could efficiently remove trace pollutants (10-100 μg/L) from multi-component solution, especially for AF-LDO, which could completely remove the tested six trace metal(loid)s. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction characterizations supported the Mg/Fe layered double hydroxide reconstruction. The main mechanisms of Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) (cationic metals) removal were ion exchange and surface precipitation, whereas As(V) and Cr(VI) (anionic metals) were mainly dislodged through the formation of surface complexation, electrostatic attraction, and interlayer anion exchange, concerning the -OH and -COOH of AF-LDH. Importantly, the results of the column experiment demonstrated that AF-LDO was superior to AF-LDH for anionic metal removal from stormwater. In this study, we synthesized AF-LDH and AF-LDO for trace metal(loid) removal and proposed a new and practical approach for stormwater purification.

High Selectivity and Stability Structure of Layered Double Hydroxide-Biochar for Removal Cd(II)

Composite M2+/Al-BC (Ca/Al-BC, Cu/Al-BC, and Ni/Al-BC) have been successfully synthesized. Composite and pristine materials were used as adsorbents of cadmium(II) [Cd(II)] in an aqueous solution. Firstly the performance of composite and pristine materials was evaluated by reusability properties until five cycles adsorption process followed with a determination of isotherms and adsorption thermodynamic properties. The results show composite has ten-fold surface area properties than starting materials. The adsorption capacities of CaAl-BC, CuAl-BC, and NiAl-BC at a temperature of 333 K were 156.250 mg/g, 149.254 mg/g, and 208.333 mg/g, respectively. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). 

Removal and Mechanism of Cadmium, Lead and Copper in Water by Functional Modification of Silkworm Excrement Biochar

A new type of biochar, called GBC, was prepared from silkworm excrement, and then modified by chitosan combined with pyromellitic dianhydride. The removal of mono-metal and polymetals (Pb, Cd and Cu) from an aqueous solution by GBC was investigated in this research. Compared to unmodified biochar, the removal rate of Pb and Cd by GBC was about 12% higher, while that of Cu was about 94.6% higher. It also shows the types of functional groups in biochar have a great impact on their adsorption. The removal of Pb is mainly involved in the N-C=O functional group, the removal of Cd is mainly involved in N-containing functional group and C=C bond, and that of Cu is mainly involved in N-containing functional group, carboxyl group, hydroxyl group, and a carbonyl group. Five adsorption–desorption cycles of GBC were carried out, and it was found that the adsorption capacities of GBC for Pb, Cd and Cu decreased by 7.28%, 10.78% and 6.07%, respectively, indicating that GBC had a good renewable performance. The adsorption capacity of GBC for Cu in different water samples is between 89.62 and 93.47 mg·g⁻¹, indicating that GBC has great application potential for the removal of Cu in wastewater.

Impact of catalytic hydrothermal treatment and Ca/Al-modified hydrochar on lability, sorption, and speciation of phosphorus in swine manure: Microscopic and spectroscopic investigations

The effects of catalytic hydrothermal (HT) pretreatment on animal manure followed by the addition of hydrochar on the nutrients recovery have not yet been investigated using a combination of chemical, microscopic, and spectroscopic techniques. Therefore, a catalytic HT process was employed to pretreat swine manure without additives (manure-HT) and with H₂O₂ addition (manure-HT- H₂O₂) to improve the conversion efficiency of labile or organic phosphorus (P) to inorganic phase. Then, a Ca-Al layered double hydroxide hydrochar (Ca/Al LDH@HC) derived from corn cob biomass was synthesized and applied to enhance P sorption. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (3D-EEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), P k-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), were used to elucidate the mechanisms of P release and capture. The H₂O₂ assisted HT treatment significantly enhanced the release of inorganic P (251.4 mg/L) as compared to the untreated manure (57.2 mg/L). The 3D-EEM analysis indicated that the labile or organic P was transformed and solubilized efficiently along with the deconstruction of manure components after the H₂O₂ assisted HT pretreatment. Application of Ca/Al LDH@HC improved the removal efficiency of P from the derived P-rich HT liquid. This sorption process was conformed to the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that chemisorption was the primary mechanism. The results of SEM and P k-edge XANES exhibited that Ca, as the dominated metal component, could act as a reaction site for the formation of phosphate precipitation. These results provide critical findings about recovering P from manure waste, which is useful for biowastes management and nutrients utilization, and mitigating unintended P loss and potential environmental risks.

Adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of Fe/Mg layered double hydroxide loaded on bentonite on Cd (II) and Pb (II) removal

In this study, FeMg-LDH loaded with bentonite (FeMg-LDH@bentonite) was prepared using the facile co-precipitating method in situ to remove heavy metals from water and then characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, BET, TGA, and XPS. Pb (II) and Cd (II) were selected as the representative heavy metals to evaluate the adsorption capability of the FeMg-LDH@bentonite. The batch adsorption method was adopted to test the effects of the contact time, pH, initial concentration, different cations, and temperatures. The kinetic study indicated that the adsorption of heavy metals onto FeMg-LDH@bentonite was well fitted by the pseudo-second-order method. Isotherms were effectively simulated based on the Langmuir model. The maximal adsorption capability of Cd (II) and Pb (II) can reach 510.2 mg/g and 1397.62 mg/g, exceeding those of conventional adsorbents. The adsorption mechanisms of FeMg-LDH@bentonite demonstrating that there may exist surface complexation, ion exchange, and chemical deposition between FeMg-LDH@bentonite and heavy metals. Moreover, FeMg-LDH@bentonite was found to have a promising application for practically treating wastewater with heavy metals and can be used for various environmental water pollution treatments. The material may be used for heavy metal contaminated soil in the future.

A Comprehensive Review of Layered Double Hydroxide-Based Carbon Composites as an Environmental Multifunctional Material for Wastewater Treatment

As is well known, hydrotalcite-like compounds, such as layered-double-hydroxide (LDH) materials, have shown great potential applications in many fields owing to their unique characteristics, including a higher anion exchange capacity, a structure memory effect, low costs, and remarkable recyclability. While the lower surface area and leaching of metal ions from LDH composites reduce the process efficiency of the catalyst, combining LDH materials with other materials can improve the surface properties of the composites and enhance the catalytic performance. Among organic compounds, carbon materials can be used as synergistic materials to overcome the defects of LDHs and provide better performance for environmental functional materials, including adsorption materials, electrode materials, photocatalytic materials, and separation materials. Therefore, this article comprehensively reviews recent works on the preparation and application of layered double-hydroxide-based carbon (LDH–C) composites as synergistic materials in the field of environmental remediation. In addition, their corresponding mechanisms are discussed in depth. Finally, some perspectives are proposed for further research directions on exploring efficient and low-cost clay composite materials.

Removal of heavy metals from wastewaters with biochar pyrolyzed from MgAl-layered double hydroxide-coated rice husk: Mechanism and application

This study reports a MgAl-LDH rice husk biochar composite (MgAl-LDH@RHB) with a regular hydrotalcite structure synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, which was then used to remove Cd(II) and Cu(II) from water. The influencing factors on the adsorption performance were determined through batch adsorption experiments, and the adsorption characteristics and cycling capacity were evaluated with eight models and adsorption-desorption experiments. The results showed that the adsorption of Cd(II) and Cu(II) by MgAl-LDH@RHB conformed to the Langmuir-Freundlich model and PSO kinetics model, indicating single-layer chemical adsorption. In addition, the experimental maximum adsorption capacities for Cd(II) and Cu(II) were 125.34 and 104.34 mg g^-1, respectively. The adsorption of Cd(II) and Cu(II) by MgAl-LDH@RHB was dominated by surface precipitation and ion exchange. The findings reveal the mechanism for the heavy metal removal by MgAl-LDH@RHB and provide a theoretical reference for agricultural waste disposal and water pollution control.

Novel Zn-Fe engineered kiwi branch biochar for the removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solution

In this study, a novel adsorbent made from kiwi branch biochar modified with Zn-Fe (KB/Zn-Fe) was compared with original biochar to the Pb(II)'s adsorptivity from waste water. The adsorbent was synthetized by liquid-phase deposition. Batches of sorption tests were performed, and the biochars' representative properties were tested. Characterizations revealed the physicochemical properties of biochars and showed that the KB/Zn-Fe composites were successfully synthesized. The Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model were proven to satisfactorily fit the original biochar and KB/Zn-Fe. The KB/Zn-Fe showed Langmuir maximum adsorption ability to Pb (II) in aqueous solution of 161.29 mg g^-1, compared with 36.76 mg g^-1 for original biochar. The adsorption ability of Pb(II) decreased and the Pb(II) removal efficiency increased with increasing biochar dose. The effect of co-existence of NO₃^- to the absorptive capacity of KB/Zn-Fe on Pb(II) was unremarkable, but Cl^- could increase the absorptive capacity. Multiple Pb(II) adsorption mechanisms by KB/Zn-Fe include surface precipitation of metal hydroxides, complexation with active functional groups and ion-exchange. This work provides guidance for future production of biochar with efficient adsorption ability, which could be used to remove Pb(II) ions from wastewater.

Efficient removal of Cd (II) from aqueous solution by chitosan modified kiwi branch biochar

Production of cost-efficient composite materials from low-cost modified biochar for the removal of Cd (II) from wastewater is much needed to meet the growing needs of industrial wastewater treatments. A novel chitosan-modified kiwi branch biochar (CHKB) was fabricated as low-cost modified biochar for the removal of Cd (II) from aqueous solution. Batch adsorption and characterization experiments indicated that the modification of kiwi biochar (KB) by chitosan remarkably improved its adsorption performance. The results revealed that the adsorption isotherms can be best described by a Langmuir model and that a pseudo-second-order model fits the Cd (II) adsorption kinetics well, which indicates that it is a monolayer process controlled by chemisorption. CHKB exhibited a Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of Cd (II) (126.58 mg g^-1), whereas that of KB was only 4.26 mg g^-1. The adsorption ability of CHKB was improved by increasing the surface area and an abundance of surface functional groups (-OH, -NH, CO, etc.). The cation exchange, electrostatic interaction, surface complexation, and precipitation were the main mechanisms in the sorption of Cd (II) on CHKB. Excellent adsorption performance, low cost, and environmental-friendliness made CHKB a fantastic adsorbent for the removal of Cd (II) in wastewater.

Chemically Dual-Modified Biochar for the Effective Removal of Cr(VI) in Solution

Here, a dual-modification strategy using KMnO4 (potassium permanganate) and AlCl3·6H2O (aluminum chloride, hexahydrate) as co-modifiers to improve the Cr(VI) removal capacity of K2CO3 activated biochar is introduced. As a result, the dual-modified biochar with KMnO4 and AlCl3·6H2O has the calculated adsorption energy of −0.52 eV and −1.64 eV for HCrO4−, and −0.21 eV and −2.01 eV for Cr2O72−. The Al2O3 (aluminum oxide) and MnO (manganese oxide) embedded on the surface of dual-modified biochar bring more Cr(VI) absorption sites comparing to single-modified biochar, resulting in a maximum Cr(VI) saturated adsorption capacity of 152.86 mg g−1. The excellent removal performance is due to the synthetic effect of electrostatic attraction, reduction reaction, complexation reaction, and physical adsorption. The experimental results also indicated that the spontaneous adsorption process agreed well with the pseudo-second order and Langmuir models. This dual-modification strategy is not limited to the treatment of Cr(VI) with biochar, and may also be incorporated with the treatment of other heavy metals in aqueous environment.

Adsorption and Reduction of Aqueous Cr by FeS-Modified Fe-Al Layered Double Hydroxide

To remedy the widespread chromium (Cr) pollution in the environment, this study mainly used the ultrasonic-assisted co-precipitation and precipitation methods to prepare FeS-modified Fe-Al-layered double hydroxide (FeS/LDH) composite material. The experimental results showed that FeS/LDH has higher removal efficiency of Cr in aqueous solution and stronger anti-interference ability than unmodified LDH. Under the same reaction conditions, the removal efficiency of total Cr(Cr(T)) using LDH was 34.85%, and the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) was 46.76%. For FeS/LDH, the removal efficiency of Cr(T) and Cr(VI) reached 99.57% and 100%, respectively. The restoration of Cr(T) and Cr(VI) by FeS/LDH satisfied the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(T) and Cr(VI) achieved 102.9 mg/g and 147.7 mg/g. The efficient removal of Cr by FeS/LDH was mainly based on the triple synergistic effect of anion exchange between Cr(VI) and interlayer anions, redox of Cr(VI) with Fe2+ and S2−, and co-precipitation of Fe3+ and Cr3+.

Functionalized layered double hydroxides composite bio-adsorbent for efficient copper(II) ion encapsulation from wastewater

In this study, naturally abundant and inexpensive bamboo was used to make cheaper activated charcoal for efficient encapsulation of toxic copper (Cu(II)) ion from wastewater. The functionalized bamboo charcoal-Layered double hydroxides (BC-LDHs) composite bio-adsorbent was prepared using co-precipitation method. The composite bio-adsorbent was exploited to eliminate Cu(II) ion with high sensitivity and selectivity from contaminated water. The adsorption parameters including the effect of pH, contact time, adsorbent dose, and effect of initial concentration were optimized in systematic way and the adsorption kinetics and isotherms were investigated for potential use in real sample treatment. The physicochemical properties and morphological structure of the adsorbent were examined using X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electronic Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric Analysis to understand the Cu(II) ion adsorption mechanism. The adsorption results revealed that the BC-LDH could remove almost 100% of Cu(II) ion from aqueous solution at pH range between 3.0 and 6.0 within 30 min. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was determined to be 85.47 mg/g based on the Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption equilibrium data were well-fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.998) and the experimental kinetic data were supported by the pseudo-second order model (R² = 0.999). The BC-LDH could be reused without losing its adsorption performance in several cycles after successful regeneration with 0.10 M HCl. The Cu(II) ion removal mechanism was postulated with intercalated ion exchange, surface precipitation and interaction between BC-LDH and surface functionalities. Therefore, the highly functional BC-LDH composite could be a promising adsorbent for efficient Cu(II) ion removal from wastewater.

Decorated Mn-ferrite nanoparticle@Zn-Al layered double hydroxide@Cellulose@ activated biochar nanocomposite for efficient remediation of methylene blue and mercury (II)

An innovative magnetic nanocomposite was designed and fabricated by the functionalization and support of magnetic Mn-ferrite nanoparticle (MnFe₂O₄) with layered double hydroxide (Zn-Al LDHs) on cellulose and activated grapes stalks-derived biochar (AGB) (MnFe₂O₄@Zn-Al LDHs@Cel@AGB), to incorporate active functionalities and fantastic features with the aim to explore its feasibility for removal of harmful cationic species as methylene blue dye (MB) and mercury ions from wastewater. Structural, composition, morphological, surface area, adsorption performance of the fabricated nanocomposite toward both MB and Hg(II) and reusability were also investigated. The results referred that 10 mg ofthe nanocomposite exhibited 97.4% and 84.0 % removal efficiency of 10mgL^-1 MB dye and 0.1 mol L^-1 Hg(II) at 25 and 30 min contact times, respectively. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics of the two pollutants (MB and Hg(II)) were both governed by the pseudo-second-order equation with possible participation of intraparticle diffusion mechanism.

Application of layered double hydroxide-biochar composites in wastewater treatment: Recent trends, modification strategies, and outlook

In recent years, layered double hydroxide-biochar (LDH-BC) composites as adsorbents and catalysts for contaminants removal (inorganic anions, heavy metals, and organics) have received increasing attention and became a new research point. It is because of the good chemical stability, abundant surface functional groups, excellent anion exchange ability, and good electronic properties of LDH-BC composites. Hence, we offer an overall review on the developments and processes in the synthesis of LDH-BC composites as adsorbents and catalysts. Special attention is devoted to the strategies for enhancing the properties of LDH-BC composites, including (1) magnetic treatment, (2) acid treatment, (3) alkali treatment, (4) controlling metal ion ratios, (5) LDHs intercalation, and (6) calcination. In addition, further studies are called for LDH-BC composites and potential areas for future application of LDH-BC composites are also proposed.

Biochar heavy metal removal in aqueous solution depends on feedstock type and pyrolysis purging gas

The effectiveness of biochar as a sorptive material to remove contaminants, particularly heavy metals, from water is dependent on biomass type and pyrolysis condition. Biochars were produced from pulp mill sludge (PMS) and rice straw (RS) with nitrogen (N₂) or carbon dioxide (CO₂) as the purging gas. The sorptive capacity of the biochars for cadmium(II), copper(II), nickel(II) and lead(II) was studied. The heavy metal adsorption capacity was mainly affected by biomass type, with biochars adsorption capacities higher for lead(II) (109.9-256.4 mg g^-1) than for nickel(II) (40.2-64.1 mg g^-1), cadmium(II) (29.5-42.7 mg g^-1) and copper(II) (18.5-39.4 mg g^-1) based on the Langmuir adsorption model. The highest lead(II) adsorption capacities for PMS and RS biochars were 256.4 and 133.3 mg g^-1, respectively, when generated using N₂ as the purging gas. The corresponding lead(II) adsorption capacities were 250.0 and 109.9 mg g^-1, respectively, when generated using CO₂ as the purging gas. According to the intraparticle diffusion model, 30-62% of heavy metal adsorption was achieved in 1 h; film diffusion was the rate-dominating step, whereas pore diffusion was a rate-limiting step. Ion exchange and complexation between heavy metals and biochar surface functional groups such as carbonyl and hydroxyl groups were effective mechanisms for heavy metal sorption from the aqueous solution. We conclude that proper selection of both the feedstock type and the purging gas is important in designing biochars for the effective removal of potentially toxic metals from wastewater.

Efficacy of green waste-derived biochar for lead removal from aqueous systems: Characterization, equilibrium, kinetic and application

The removal of toxic metals from the aquatic ecosystem is one of the most pressing environmental and public health concerns today. A strong potential has recently emerged for the removal of such metals using biochar sorbents. Biosorption technology could make a significant difference in the future. It is a viable and cost-effective alternative to the remediation of toxic pollutants utilizing various biomaterials. In the current study, batch and fixed-bed studies were performed to evaluate the performance of Capsicum annuum L. seeds biochar (CASB) as an alternative material in removing toxic Pb(II) from aqueous solutions. Removal characteristics were investigated by considering the equilibrium and kinetic aspects. Biosorption equilibrium was established within 40 min. The optimum dosage of CASB for Pb(II) removal was determined as 2.0 g L^-1. Biosorption data were well predicted by a non-linear Langmuir isotherm model. Monolayer biosorption occurred for CASB with a maximum capacity of 36.43 mg g^-1. Biosorption kinetics fitted well with a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The external mass transfer may control Pb(II) transport mechanism. Dynamic flow mode biosorption and regeneration potential of CASB were also examined. The application of CASB exhibited a 100% removal yield in real apple juice samples spiked with low concentrations of Pb(II). Exhausted points for the CASB packed columns were recorded as 195 and 320 min for simulated wastewater (SW) and synthetic Pb(II) solution, respectively. FTIR, BET, SEM-EDX analysis, and zeta potential measurements were used for the characterization of biochar and assessment of the metal ion-biosorbent interaction mechanism. Finally, our study provides a practical approach for the uptake of Pb(II) ions from contaminated solutions.

Tailored Adhesion Properties of Acrylate Adhesives on Al Alloys by the Addition of Mn-Al-LDH

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of the structure of Mn-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) on the adhesion behavior of composite adhesives on two Al alloys (L3005 and L8079). The composite adhesives were made out of the UV-curing Bisphenol A glycidylmethacrylate/triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (BT) as polymer matrix and the addition of 1, 3, and 5 wt. % of Mn-Al LDH as adhesion enhancers. Adhesion was evaluated by using the micro Vickers hardness testing procedure. The wetting angle of composite adhesives to the Al substrates was measured and compared to the adhesion parameter b obtained from the microhardness tests. The highest increase in adhesion was observed for BT with 5 wt. % of Mn-Al LDH on L3005 substrate, which was more than 15 times higher than the adhesion for the neat BT. The morphological segregation of composite adhesives after the contact with Al substrates was examined by optical microscopy and a higher compatibility of Mn-Al LDH particles with L3005 substrate was found. The methods used for the adhesion properties assessment suggested that the Mn-Al LDH was the best adhesion enhancer of the BT matrix for L3005 substrate containing a higher content of Mn and surface hydroxyl groups.

Adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by a litchi shell-based adsorbent

Cr(VI) is a toxic metal pollutant existing in industrial effluents. In this study, Fe₃O₄ and layered double hydroxide (LDH) were inserted into the litchi shell (LS) successively by the co-precipitation method to synthesize the modified magnetic litchi shell adsorbent (MMLS) for removing Cr(VI). The advantageous structure characteristics of MMLS were confirmed by XRD, FT-IR, SEM and the hysteresis loop characterization. The batch experiments of optimizing the conditions (pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration, coexisting ions) for removing Cr(VI) were accomplished to in simulated wastewater at room temperature. And the optimal pH of 3 and initial concentration of 100 mg/L in simulated wastewater were similar to that in the actual chrome-plated rinse water with the stable MMLS. The effect of coexisting ions indicated anions and Cr(VI) competed with each other for the adsorption site, but the interactions were negligible in actual chrome-plated rinse water. Chemisorption as a rate-limiting step was confirmed with a good fit of pseudo-second-order kinetics. And the adsorption behavior of MMLS can not be explained by a single theory according to Sips model. The desorption and recycle experiments demonstrated MMLS was reusable in actual chrome-plated rinse water.

Effective removal of Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) by sodium alginate intercalated MgAl-layered double hydroxide: adsorption properties and mechanistic studies

To improve the adsorption efficiency of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) for heavy metals, a novel sodium alginate (SA) intercalated MgAl-LDH (SA-LDH) was synthesized in this work. SA-LDH was characterized by XRD, FTIR, XPS and employed as adsorbent for Cd(II), Pb(II), Cu(II) elimination. Adsorbent dosage, initial pH and contact time, which are regarded as several key parameters, were optimized. The results showed that SA-LDH exhibited better adsorption performance compared with the pristine MgAl-LDH. The maximum adsorption capacities of SA-LDH for Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) reached 0.945, 1.176 and 0.850 mmol/g, respectively. The possible mechanisms were analyzed by XPS, XRD and FTIR. The results showed that Cd(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II) may be removed by SA-LDH via (i) bonding or complexation with Sur-OH or Sur-O- of SA-LDH, (ii) precipitation of metal hydroxides or carbonates, (iii) isomorphic substitution, and (iv) chelation with -COO^- in the interlayers. This work provides an effective method for the development of LDH-based adsorbent and the treatment of wastewater containing heavy metals.

Enhanced Arsenic Removal from Aqueous Solution by Fe/Mn-C Layered Double Hydroxide Composite

A novel material named Fe/Mn-C layered double hydroxide composite (Fe/Mn-C-LDH) was synthesized to remove arsenic from an aqueous solution. The removal performance of the composite toward arsenic ions was studied through the batch experiments. The experiment results showed that Fe/Mn-C-LDH exhibited a high adsorption capacity of 46.47 mg/g for As(III) and 37.84 mg/g for As(V) at 318 K, respectively. In addition, the investigation of the release of Fe3+ and Mn2+ in the process of arsenic adsorption revealed that the Fe/Mn-C-LDH exhibited better stability than Fe/Mn-layer double hydroxide (Fe/Mn-LDH) with fewer Mn2+ and Fe3+ releasing under the same condition. The BET results showed that the specific surface area of Fe/Mn-C-LDH decreased after adsorption of As (III) and As (V). Furthermore, the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation results proved that the adsorbent combining arsenic by T-site to produce a better adsorption effect for arsenic. Possessing better stability and adsorption capacity, Fe/Mn-C-LDH could potentially serve as a perfect adsorbent for arsenic removal from an aqueous environment. It would provide a promising approach for removing heavy metal from the aquatic environment in the future.

Sustainable wastewater treatment by biochar/layered double hydroxide composites: Progress, challenges, and outlook

Biochar/layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites have gained considerable attention in recent times as low-cost sustainable materials for applications in water treatment. This paper critically evaluates the latest development in applications of biochar/LDH composites in water treatment with an emphasis on adsorption and catalytic degradation of various pollutants. The adsorption of various noxious contaminants, i.e., heavy metals, dyes, anions, and pharmaceuticals onto biochar/LDH composites are described in detail by elaborating the adsorption mechanism and regeneration ability. The synergistic effect of LDH with biochar exhibited significant improvement in specific surface area, surface functional groups, structure heterogeneity, stability, and adsorption characteristics of the resulting biochar/LDH composites. The major hurdles and challenges associated with the synthesis and applications of biochar/LDH composites in water remediation are emphasized. Finally, a roadmap is suggested for future research to assure the effective applications of biochar/LDH composites in water purification.

Mn-Fe Layered Double Hydroxide Intercalated with Ethylene-Diaminetetraacetate Anion: Synthesis and Removal of As(III) from Aqueous Solution around pH 2-11

A novel adsorbent Mn-Fe layered double hydroxides intercalated with ethylenediaminete-traacetic (EDTA@MF-LDHs) was synthesized by a low saturation coprecipitation method. The behavior and mechanism of As(III) removed by EDTA@MF-LDHs were investigated in detail in comparison with the carbonate intercalated Mn-Fe layered double hydroxides (CO₃@MF-LDHs). The results showed that EDTA@MF-LDHs had a higher removal efficiency for As(III) than As(V) with a broader pH range than CO₃@MF-LDH. The large adsorption capacity of EDTA@MF-LDHs is related to its large interlayer spacing and the high affinity of its surface hydroxyl groups. The maximum adsorption capacity for As(III) is 66.76 mg/g at pH 7. The FT-IR and XPS characterization indicated that the removal mechanism of the As(III) on EDTA@MF-LDHs include surface complexation, redox, and ion exchange.

Adsorption and mechanistic study of the invasive plant-derived biochar functionalized with CaAl-LDH for Eu(III) in water

Herein, we developed the invasive plant-derived biochar (IPB) functionalized with CaAl-LDH at five mass ratios using a physical mixture method, assessed their adsorption perform for Eu(III), and explored the relative mechanisms. Results show that the IPB successfully loaded CaAl-LDH in five composites and their Eu(III) sorption affinities were strongly affected by solution pH, contact time, temperature, and the mass ratio of LDH and IPB. All the sorpiton process for Eu(III) occurred on the heterogeneous surface of five composites and the boundary layer diffusion limited the chemical sorption rate. Interestingly, the CaAl-LDH/IPB composite with high ratio of IPB had higher sorption capacity than the one with high ratio of LDH due to larger porosity of the former. Three mechanisms containing ion exchange between Al and Eu ions, surface complexation with carboxyl- and oxygen-containing functional groups, and precipitation were involved in the Eu(III) sorption, but the dominant sorption mechanism for each CaAl-LDH/IPB composite differed with different mass ratio of CaAl-LDH and IPB. In composite with more IPB (e.g., CaAl-LDH/IPB-13), both ion exchange and surface complexes dominated the sorption process and the intensity of Eu³⁺ was identified with the one of Eu₂O_3. Whereas in composites with high LDH, ion exchange dominated the sorption and the intensity of Eu³⁺ was obviously higher than the one of Eu₂O₃. This research will provide a new perspective for the application of the LDH/biochar materials.

Implications of layered double hydroxides assembled biochar composite in adsorptive removal of contaminants: Current status and future perspectives

In recent years, biochar composites have received considerable attention for environmental applications. This paper reviews the current state of research on Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs) tailored biochar composites in terms of their synthesis methods, characteristics, and their use as adsorbents for the removal of various pollutants from water, highlighting and discussing the key advancement in this area. The adsorption potential of LDHs-biochar composites for different inorganic and organic contaminants, important factors affecting composites' properties and the adsorption process, and the mechanisms involved in adsorption are discussed in this review. Though the adsorption capacities are high for the composites studied, partition coefficient which suggest the performance of composites remain low for most adsorbents. Despite the recent progress in the synthesis of LDHs-biochar composites, further research is needed to improve the performance of composites for different classes of aquatic pollutants, and to test their applicability in pilot-scale with real wastewater under real environmental conditions.

Experimental Investigation of Chloride Uptake Performances of Hydrocalumite-Like Ca-Al LDHs with Different Microstructures

In this study, hydrocalumite-like Ca2Al-NO3− layered double hydroxides (Ca-Al LDHs) with different microstructures were synthesized. The crystalline properties, structure composition, morphology and particle size distribution of the Ca-Al LDH (CAL) samples were illustrated. To obtain the chloride uptake performances of CAL, the influences of contact time, initial concentration of Cl−, pH of reaction solution and coexistence anions on the chloride uptake were examined systematically. Compared to the CAL samples obtained at a higher aging temperature, CAL synthesized at 60 °C demonstrated the minimum average particle size (6.148 μm) and the best Cl− adsorption capacity (211.324 mg/g). Based on the test results, the main adsorption mechanism of chloride ion on CAL was recognized as an interlayer anion exchanging reaction other than the dissolution-precipitate mode. With the increase in the pH value of reaction solution from 7 to 13, it was found that the amount of chloride ion adsorbed by CAL increased slightly, and the solution could remain at relatively high pH value even after the adsorption. The presence of CO32− and SO42− reduced the adsorption capacity of CAL dramatically as compared with OH− due to the destruction of layered structure and the formation of precipitates (CaCO3 or CaSO4). The interference sequence of the investigated anions on the chloride uptake of CAL was SO42−, CO32− and OH−, and the order of interlayer anionic affinity was Cl− > OH− > NO3−. The results illustrated that the synthesized CAL could be used as a promising chloride ion adsorbent for the corrosion inhibition of reinforcement embedded cement-based materials.

Preparation, environmental application and prospect of biochar-supported metal nanoparticles: A review

Biochar is a low-cost, porous, and carbon-rich material and it exhibits a great potential as an adsorbent and a supporting matrix due to its high surface activity, high specific surface area, and high ion exchange capacity. Metal nanomaterials are nanometer-sized solid particles which have high reactivity, high surface area, and high surface energy. Owing to their aggregation and passivation, metal nanomaterials will lose excellent physiochemical properties. Carbon-enriched biochar can be applied to overcome these drawbacks of metal nanomaterials. Combining the advantages of biochar and metal nanomaterials, supporting metal nanomaterials on porous and stable biochar creates a new biochar-supported metal nanoparticles (MNPs@BC). Therefore, MNPs@BC can be used to design the properties of metal nanoparticles, stabilize the anchored metal nanoparticles, and facilitate the catalytic/redox reactions at the biochar-metal interfaces, which maximizes the efficiency of biochar and metal nanoparticles in environmental application. This work detailedly reviews the synthesis methods of MNPs@BC and the effects of preparation conditions on the properties of MNPs@BC during the preparation processes. The characterization methods of MNPs@BC, the removal/remediation performance of MNPs@BC for organic contaminants, heavy metals and other inorganic contaminants in water and soil, and the effect of MNPs@BC properties on the remediation efficiency were discussed. In addition, this paper summarizes the effect of various parameters on the removal of contaminants from water, the effect of MNPs@BC remediation on soil properties, and the removal/remediation mechanisms of the contaminants by MNPs@BC in water and soil. Moreover, the potential directions for future research and development of MNPs@BC have also been discussed.

Biochar surface complexation and Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II) adsorption in aqueous solutions depend on feedstock type

Biochar is a promising material for efficient removal of toxic metals from wastewater to meet standards for discharge into surface water. We characterized adsorption behaviour of willow (Salix alba) wood (WW) and cattle manure (CM) and their biochars, willow wood biochar (WWB) and cattle manure biochar (CMB), and elucidated the mechanisms for the removal of Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. The kinetic adsorption suggests that the adsorption of Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) by feedstock and their biochars was controlled by mass transport, and chemisorption also played a role in the adsorption process. The Elovich model also well described the adsorption kinetics for WW and CM (R² > 0.92), indicating that heterogeneous diffusion was the mechanism. The Sips isotherm model fitted best (R² > 0.98) for Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) adsorption by the feedstocks and their biochars, indicating that both monolayer and multilayer adsorption played roles on the heterogeneous surfaces of the four adsorbents. The WWB had a higher while the CMB had a lower adsorption capacity than their respective feedstock due to the presence of abundant -COOH functional group on WWB surface to interact with Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) to form surface complexes. The higher specific surface area and lower pH of point of zero charge (PZC) of WWB were other contributing factors for its greater removal capacity. Therefore, we conclude that proper feedstocks need to be selected to produce biochars that are efficient for the removal of toxic metals from wastewater.

Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution using biochar modified with Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide intercalated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

In this study, the bamboo biomass loaded with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) intercalated Mg/Al-layered double hydroxides (LDH) was calcined to obtain a novel nano-adsorbent (BC@EDTA-LDH), and BC@EDTA-LDH was used to remove hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in aqueous solutions. The results showed that the interaction between LDH and Cr(VI) on biochar played a dominant part in adsorption. The LDH of Cr(VI) intercalation was successfully reconstructed after adsorption. Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction results confirmed the reconstruction of Mg/Al-LDH. LDH had sustained release effect on the solution. As the pH values increased, the electrostatic repulsion between Cr₂O₇^2- and OH^- increased, and there existed competition for adsorption sites. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was 38 mg/g. The data was well-fitted with pseudo second-order model and Langmuir-Freundlich model. BC@EDTA-LDH showed a high adsorption capacity and was potentially suitable for removing heavy metals in wastewater.