Adsorption behaviors of Au(Ⅲ) onto humic acid extracted from gold ore: Adsorptive kinetics, isotherm and mechanism

pH-Dependent selective extraction of gold(iii) from synthetic solution and computer motherboard leachate using a hybrid nanocomposite

Recycling gold from electronic waste offers significant benefits for both environmental protection and resource sustainability. However, this process presents considerable challenges due to high costs, prolonged processing times, and interference from coexisting metals. In this study, we synthesized a hybrid mesoporous nanocomposite comprising platelets-like CoNi2S4 incorporated with g-C3N4 nanosheets (CoNi2S4@g-C3N4) for the selective recovery of gold (Au(iii)) ions from spent computer motherboards. Comprehensive characterization of the CoNi2S4@g-C3N4 nanocomposite was conducted, including its physicochemical properties, textural and structural characteristics, morphology, and elemental composition. The CoNi2S4@g-C3N4 extractor demonstrated an exceptional adsorption capacity of 200.6 mg g-1, with high selectivity at pH 2, rapid equilibrium time of 60 minutes, and satisfactory reusability for over ten cycles. Adsorption isotherm and kinetic studies revealed that the CoNi2S4@g-C3N4 nanocomposite adheres to the Langmuir adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model for Au(iii) ion adsorption. Overall, this study introduces a viable adsorbent that shows considerable promise for industrial-scale Au(iii) extraction from e-waste.

Effects of humic acids on the adsorption of Pb(II) ions onto biofilm-developed microplastics in aqueous ecosystems

Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminants can behave as carriers for heavy metals in the water environments. Although the adsorption performance of heavy metals on MPs has been widely investigated, the effects of humic acids (HA) on the adsorption have seldom been explored. The authors were compared the Pb(II) adsorption onto biofilm-developed polyvinyl chloride (Bio-PVC) MPs with Pb(II) adsorption onto virgin PVC MPs (V-PVC), and explored the relationship between surface characteristics and the adsorption properties in the coexistence of HA. Our results showed that due to a larger specific surface area and more oxygen containing groups, Bio-PVC had a larger adsorption capability with a value of 3.57 mg/g than original ones (1.85 mg/g) due to its huge specific surface area and more oxygen containing groups. Microbial community analysis showed that the predominate bacteria in biofilms as Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Notably, the Pb(II) adsorption onto the V-PVC surfaces was increased, but the adsorption capacities of Pb(II) on Bio-PVC were suppressed with increasing HA. With the co-existence of HA, the increasing complexation and electrostatic attraction had attributed to the increased Pb(II) adsorption ability on V-PVC. Except for its competitive ability, HA has a shield effect which decreases the sorption sites on Bio-PVC. Overall, our findings provide a better understanding of the HA effect on the adsorption mechanism of heavy metals onto MPs in aquatic ecosystems.

Enhanced cadmium removal by biochar and iron oxides composite: Material interactions and pore structure

The combination of biochar (BC) and iron minerals improves their pollutant adsorption capacity. However, little is known about the reactivity of BC-iron mineral composites regarding their interaction and change in the pore structure. In this study, the mechanism of cadmium (Cd) adsorption by BC-iron oxide composites, such as BC combined with ferrihydrite (FH) or goethite (GT), was explored. The synergistic effect of the BC-FH composite significantly improved its Cd adsorption capacity. The adsorption efficiencies of BC-FH and BC-GT increased by 15.0% and 10.8%, respectively, compared with that of uncombined BC, FH, and GT. The strong Cd adsorption by BC-FH was attributed to stable interactions and stereoscopic pore filling between BC and FH. The scanning electron microscopy results showed that FH particles entered the BC pores, whereas GT particles were loaded onto the BC surface. FTIR spectroscopy showed that GT covered a larger area of the BC surface than FH. After loading FH and GT, BC porosities decreased by 9.3% and 4.1%, respectively. Quantum chemical calculations and independent gradient mode analysis showed that van der Waals interactions, H-bonds, and covalent-like interactions maintained stability between iron minerals and BC. Additionally, humic acid increased the agglomeration of iron oxides and formed larger particles, causing additional aggregates to load onto the BC surface instead of entering the BC pores. Our results provide theoretical support to reveal the interfacial behavior of BC-iron mineral composites in soil and provide a reference for field applications of these materials for pollution control and environmental remediation.

New insights into the adsorption behavior of thiacloprid at the microfibers/water interface: Role of humic acid

Dissolved organic matter regulates the interaction between microplastics (MPs) and organic pollutants. Here, this paper investigated the effect and mechanism of humic acid (HA) on the adsorption behavior of thiacloprid at two microfibers (MFs)/water interface, and compared the differences in the performance of MFs and pure MPs. The results showed that 10 mg L^-1 HA decreased the adsorption capacity and the partition coefficient K_D of thiacloprid on MFs and pure MPs. Spectral analysis showed that HA could form hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces with both MPs and thiacloprid, ultimately affecting the adsorption behavior of thiacloprid at MPs/water interface via competitive adsorption and bridging effect. Furthermore, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy demonstrated that thiacloprid was preferentially adsorbed onto MPs compared with HA. Finally, density functional theory calculation demonstrated that phenolic-OH, -COOH, and alcoholic-OH played critical roles in competing adsorption and bridging effect. This study offers a theoretical foundation for a better comprehension of the adsorption behavior of organic pollutants at the MPs/water interface.

Enhanced adsorption performance of sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline in aqueous solutions by MgFe2O4-magnetic biochar

Biochar has been reported as an excellent adsorbent for antibiotics, but the application faces the challenges of complicated separation. Here, MgFe₂O₄-magnetic biochars (MBCs) derived from corncob were synthesized at 300 °C to remove sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and tetracycline (TC) simultaneously. The characteristics of MBC300 had a high magnetic intensity. MBC300 had the maximum adsorption capacity of SMX with 50.75 mg/g and the high adsorption amount of TC with 120.36 mg/g respectively, which were 4.49 and 6.48 times those of BC300. MBC300 had the advantage of energy conservation compared with MBC450 and MBC600. The better fitting kinetics and isotherms indicated that the SMX and TC sorption onto MBC300 were governed by chemisorption. FTIR and XPS analyses confirmed that the SMX sorption onto MBC300 was dominated by polar interactions and π-π electron donor-acceptor interactions (π-π EDA). Furthermore, the TC sorption was involved in pore filling, π-π EDA, H-bonds, and surface complexation. MBC300 presented effective adsorption of SMX and TC over a wide range of pH. The competition between antibiotics and coexisting pollutants of dissolved organic matter (DOM), Ca²⁺, CO₃^2-, and PO₄^3- significantly inhibited the sorption. The results indicate that MBC300 is an effective and promising adsorbent to treat SMX and TC simultaneously.