Influence of solution pH, ionic strength, and humic acid on cadmium adsorption onto activated biochar: Experiment and modeling

Sulfur-functionalized biochar: Synthesis, characterization, and utilization for contaminated soil and water remediation-a review

The development of innovative, eco-friendly, and cost-effective adsorbents is crucial for addressing the widespread issue of organic and inorganic pollutants in soil and water. Recent advancements in sulfur reagents-based materials, such as FeS, MoS2, MnS, S0, CS2, Na2S, Na2S2O32-, H2S, S-nZVI, and sulfidated Fe0, have shown potential in enhancing the functional properties and elemental composition of biochar for pollutant removal. This review explores the synthesis and characterization of sulfur reagents/species functionalized biochar (S-biochar), focusing on factors like waste biomass attributes, pyrolysis conditions, reagent adjustments, and experimental parameters. S-biochar is enriched with unique sulfur functional groups (e.g., C-S, -C-S-C, C=S, thiophene, sulfone, sulfate, sulfide, sulfite, elemental S) and various active sites (Fe, Mn, Mo, C, OH, H), which significantly enhance its adsorption efficiency for both organic pollutants (e.g., dyes, antibiotics) and inorganic pollutants (e.g., metal and metalloid ions). The literature analysis reveals that the choice of feedstock, influenced by its lignocellulosic content and xylem structure, critically impacts the effectiveness of pollutant removal in soil and water. Pyrolysis parameters, including temperature (200-600 °C), duration (2-10 h), carbon-to-hydrogen (C:H) and oxygen-to-hydrogen (O:H) ratios in biochar, as well as the biochar-to-sulfur reagent modification ratio, play key roles in determining adsorption performance. Additionally, solution pH (2-8) and temperature (288, 298, and 308 K) affect the efficiency of pollutant removal, though optimal dosages for adsorbents remain inconsistent. The primary removal mechanisms involve physisorption and chemisorption, encompassing adsorption, reduction, degradation, surface complexation, ion exchange, electrostatic interactions, π-π interactions, and hydrogen bonding. This review highlights the need for further research to optimize synthesis protocols and to better understand the long-term stability and optimal dosage of S-biochar for practical environmental applications.

Recent developments in sugarcane bagasse fibre-based adsorbent and their potential industrial applications: A review

In recent years, there has been an increase in research devoted to the advancement of cellulose and nanocellulose-based materials, which are advantageous due to their renewable nature, strength, rigidity, and environmental friendliness. This exploration complies with the fundamental tenets of environmental stewardship and sustainability. An area of industrial biotechnology where cellulosic agricultural residues have the potential to be economically utilized is through the conversion of such residues; sugarcane bagasse is currently leading this charge. SCB, a plentiful fibrous byproduct produced during the sugarcane industry's operations, has historically been utilized in various sectors, including producing paper, animal feed, enzymes, biofuel conversion, and biomedical applications. Significantly, SCB comprises a considerable amount of cellulose, approximately 40 % to 50 %, rendering it a valuable source of cellulose fibre for fabricating cellulose nanocrystals. This review sheds light on the significant advances in surface modification techniques, encompassing physical, chemical, and biological treatments, that enhance sugarcane bagasse fibres' adsorption capacity and selectivity. Furthermore, the paper investigates the specific advancements related to the augmentation of sugarcane bagasse fibres' efficacy in adsorbing a wide range of pollutants. These pollutants span a spectrum that includes heavy metals, dyes, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants. The discussion provides a comprehensive overview of the targeted removal processes facilitated by applying modified fibres. The unique structural and chemical properties inherent in sugarcane bagasse fibres and their widespread availability position them as highly suitable adsorbents for various pollutants. This convergence of attributes underscores the potential of sugarcane bagasse fibres in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainable solutions across multiple industries.

Influence of pyrolysis time on removal of heavy metals using biochar derived from macroalgal biomass (Oedogonium sp.)

In this study, pyrolysis was performed at different times to convert Oedogonium biomass into biochar. The physicochemical properties show that the pyrolysis time significantly impacts structural and morphological changes in biochar samples. The influence of pyrolysis time on the removal of multiple heavy metals was investigated. Owing to the presence of abundant functional groups, inorganic minerals and porous nature, biochar obtained from a 40 min pyrolysis time showed higher removal efficiency of heavy metals compared to biochars pyrolyzed at 20 mins and 60 mins even with higher concentrations of metal ions. The maximum adsorption capacity was observed 9.33, 10.74, 322.58, 13.70 and 9.11 mg/g with the biochar prepared at the pyrolysis time of 40 mins for Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Cd, respectively. The adsorption isotherm is well fitted with the Langmuir adsorption model for heavy metals adsorption, and the kinetic study is well-defined by a pseudo second-order model.

Multifunctional bacterial cellulose-bentonite@polyethylenimine composite membranes for enhanced water treatment: Sustainable dyes and metal ions adsorption and antibacterial properties

Developing multifunctional materials for water treatment remains a significant challenge. Bacterial cellulose (BC) holds immense potential as an adsorbent with high pollutant-binding capacity, hydrophilicity, and biosafety. In this study, N-acetylglucosamine was used as a carbon source to ferment BC, incorporating amide bonds in situ. Bentonite, renowned for its adsorption properties, was added to the culture medium, resulting in BC-bentonite composite membranes via a one-step fermentation process. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was crosslinked with amide bonds on the membrane via glutaraldehyde through Schiff base reactions to enhance the performance of the composite membrane. The obtained membrane exhibited increased hydrophilicity, enhanced active adsorption sites, and enlarged specific surface area. It not only physically adsorbed contaminants through its unique structure but also effectively captured dye molecules (Congo red, Methylene blue, Malachite green) via electrostatic interactions. Additionally, it formed stable complexes with metal ions (Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺) through coordination and effectively adsorbed their mixtures. Moreover, the composite membrane demonstrated the broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, effectively inhibiting the growth of tested bacteria. This study introduces an innovative method for fabricating composite membranes as adsorbents for complex water pollutants, showing significant potential for long-term wastewater treatment of organic dyes, heavy metal ions, and pathogens.

Comparative Study for Propranolol Adsorption on the Biochars from Different Agricultural Solid Wastes

Currently, large amounts of agricultural solid wastes have caused serious environmental problems. Agricultural solid waste is made into biochar by pyrolysis, which is an effective means of its disposal. As the prepared biochar has a good adsorption capacity, it is often used to treat pollutants in water, such as heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. PRO is an emerging contaminant in the environment today. However, there are limited studies on the interaction between biochars with PRO. Thus, in this study, we investigate the adsorption of PRO onto the biochars derived from three different feedstocks. The order of adsorption capacity was corn stalk biochar (CS, 10.97 mg/g) > apple wood biochar (AW, 10.09 mg/g) > rice husk biochar (RH, 8.78 mg/g). When 2 < pH < 9, the adsorption capacity of all the biochars increased as the pH increased, while the adsorption decreased when pH > 9, 10 and 10.33 for AW, CS and RH, respectively. The adsorption of PRO on biochars was reduced with increasing Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations from 0 to 200 mg·L-1. The effects of pH and coexisting ions illustrated that there exist electrostatic interaction and cation exchange in the process. In addition, when HA concentration was less than 20 mg/L, it promoted the adsorption of PRO on the biochars; however, when the concentration was more than 20 mg/L, its promoting effect was weakened and gradually changed into an inhibitory effect. The adsorption isotherm data of PRO by biochars were best fitted with the Freundlich model, indicating that the adsorption process is heterogeneous adsorption. The adsorption kinetics were fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. All the results can provide new information into the adsorption behavior of PRO and the biochars in the aquatic environment and a theoretical basis for the large-scale application of biochar from agricultural solid wastes.

Recovery of biochar particles laden with lead in saturated porous media by DC electric field

The co-transport behavior of environmental pollutants with biochar particles has aroused great interests from researchers due to the concerns about pollutant diffusion and environmental exposure after biochar is applied to soil. In this work, the recovery and co-transport behavior of biochar micron-/nano-particles (BCMP and BCNP) and lead (Pb2+) in saturated porous media were investigated under different ionic strength conditions (IS = 1, 5 and 10 mM) under a direct current electric field. The results showed that the electric field could significantly enhance the mobility of Pb adsorbed biochar particles, particularly BCNP. The recovery of Pb laden biochar particles was improved by 1.8 folds, reaching 78.8% at maximum under favorable condition at +0.5 V cm-1. According to the CDE (Convection-Dispersion-Equation) model and DLVO (Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek) theory analysis, the electric field facilitated the transport of Pb carried biochar mainly by increasing the negative charges on biochar surface and improving the repulsive force between biochar and porous media. High IS was favorable for biochar transport under the electric field, but inhibited desorbing Pb2+ from biochar (18% by maximum at IS = 10 mM). By switching the electric field power, a two-stage strategy was established to maximize the recovery of both biochar particles and Pb, where BCNP and Pb recovery were higher than electric field free case by 90% and 35%, respectively. The findings of this study can help build a biochar recovery approach to prevent potential risks from biochar application in heavy metal contaminated soil remediation.

Super capacity of ligand-engineered biochar for sorption of malachite green dye: key role of functional moieties and mesoporous structure

This study synthesized a new thiomalic acid-modified rice husk biochar (TMA-BC) as a versatile and eco-friendly sorbent. After undergoing chemical treatments, the mercerized rice husk biochar (NaOH-BC) and TMA-BC samples showed higher BET surface area values of 277.1 m2/g and 305.8 m2/g, respectively, compared to the pristine biochar (BC) sample, which had a surface area of 234.2 m2/g. In batch adsorption experiments, it was found that the highest removal efficiency for malachite green (MG) was achieved with TMA-BC, reaching 96.4%, while NaOH-BC and BC exhibited removal efficiencies of 38.6% and 27.9%, respectively, at pH 8. The engineered TMA-BC exhibited a super adsorption capacity of 104.17 mg/g for MG dye at pH 8.0 and 25 °C with a dosage of 2 g/L. The SEM, TEM, XPS, and FTIR spectroscopy analyses were performed to examine mesoporous features and successful TMA-BC carboxylic and thiol functional groups grafting on biochar. Electrostatic forces, such as π - π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and pore intrusion, were identified as key factors in the sorption of MG dye. As compared to single-solution adsorption experiments, the binary solution experiments performed at optimized dosages of undesired ions, such as humic acid, sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant, NaCl, and NaSCN, reflected an increase in MG dye removal of 2.8%, 8.7%, 5.4%, and 12.7%, respectively, which was attributed to unique mesoporous features and grafted functional groups of TMA-BC. Furthermore, the TMA-BC showed promising reusability up to three cycles. Our study indicates that mediocre biochar modified with TMA can provide an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to commercially accessible adsorbents.

A facile-treated sago bark (Metroxylon sagu) as a biosorbent for Cd(II) ions removal in aqueous solution by using the batch method

The performance of sago bark for Cd(II) ions removal in the aqueous solution has been investigated using the batch method. The sago bark was facile-treated using HNO3 0.01 M and its ability on Cd(II) removal was evaluated under specific parameters such as pH, contact time, agitation speed, temperature, initial concentration, and adsorbent mass. The adsorption capacity of sago bark was found to be 2.473 mg/g. The Langmuir isotherm model corresponding to the monolayer adsorption process described the adsorption data well. The kinetic and thermodynamic evaluation confirmed that the Cd(II) ion sorption followed a pseudo-second-order model and endothermic. The adsorption capacity decreased after three times adsorption-desorption cycles. This result showed that the treated sago bark could be a good candidate as an adsorbent for Cd(II) removal.

Conversion of solid wastes and natural biomass for deciphering the valorization of biochar in pollution abatement: A review on the thermo-chemical processes

This overview addresses the formation of solid trash and the various forms of waste from a variety of industries, which environmentalists have embraced. The paper investigates the negative effects on the environment caused by unsustainable management of municipal solid trash as well as the opportunities presented by the formal system. This examination looks at the origins of solid waste as well as the typical treatment methods. Pyrolysis methods, feedstock pyrolysis, and lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis were highlighted. Explain in detail the various thermochemical processes that take place during the pyrolysis of biomass. Due to its carbon content, low cost, accessibility, ubiquitousness, renewable nature, and environmental friendliness, biomass waste is a unique biochar precursor. This study looks at the different types of biomass waste that are available for treating wastewater. This study discussed a wide variety of reactors. Adsorption is the standard method that is used the most frequently to remove hazardous organic, dye, and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. These pollutants cause damage to the environment and water supplies, thus it is important to remove them. Adsorption is both simple and inexpensive to utilize. Temperature-dependent conversions explain the kinetic theories of biomaterial biochemical degradation. This article presents a review that explains how pyrolytic breakdown char materials can be used to reduce pollution and improve environmental management.

A combined passivator of zeolite and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer: Passivation behavior and mechanism for Cd (II) in composting

Passivation of heavy metals is one of the most efficient techniques to improve the quality of compost. Many studies confirmed the passivation effect of passivators (e.g., zeolite and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer) on cadmium (Cd), but passivators with single component could not effectively passivate Cd in the long-term operation of composting. In the present study, a combined passivator of zeolite and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer (ZCP) was used to explore its impacts of adding at different composting periods (heating period, thermophilic period, cooling period) on the Cd control, compost quality (e.g., temperature, moisture content and humification), microbial community structure as well as the compost available forms of Cd and addition strategy of ZCP. Results showed that Cd passivation rate could be increased by 35.70-47.92% under all treatments in comparison to the control treatment. By altering bacterial community structure, reducing Cd bioavailability and improving the chemical properties of the compost, the combined inorganic passivator could achieve high efficiency for Cd passivation. To sum up, the addition of ZCP at different composting periods has effects on the process and quality of composting, which could provide ideas for the optimization of the passivators addition strategy.

Biochar-immobilized Bacillus megaterium enhances Cd immobilization in soil and promotes Brassica chinensis growth

Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) has been considered an environmental-friendly phosphate fertilizer without cadmium (Cd) input into soils, but its possibility of Cd fixation in soil needs to be explored. Since direct inoculation results in a rapid decline of the population and activity, we immobilized Bacillus megaterium with maize straw biochar (B-PSB) and investigated its feasibility in remediating Cd-contaminated soil. Pot experiments showed that the application of B-PSB significantly ameliorated the growth of Brassica chinensis under Cd stress, with a fresh weight increased by 59.08% compared to the Cd-control. B-PSB reduced Cd accumulation in Brassica chinensis by 61.69%, and promoted the uptake of P and N by 134.97% and 98.71% respectively. Microbial community analysis showed B-PSB recruited more plant growth-promoting bacteria in near-rhizosphere soil, which provides a favorable microenvironment for both PSB and crops. Column leaching experiments verified that B-PSB achieved the dissolution of stable P while fixing Cd. Batch tests further revealed that biochar served as a successful carrier facilitating the growth of B. megaterium and Cd immobilization. Given the widespread Cd contamination in agricultural soils, our results indicate that B-PSB is a promising soil amendment to secure food safety.

Investigation of adsorption and biosorption features of bio-functionalized poly(GMA-Co-EGDMA) polymer beads in the treatment of nicotine from tobacco industry

The investigation of multifunctional materials for modern enzyme immobilization is an attractive subject in advanced adsorption and biosorption applications. In the present study, the feasibility of immobilization of Lipozyme TL 100L (LPZM) on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modified poly-(GMA-co-EGDMA) (PEGDMA) was investigated for adsorption and biosorption of nicotine from aqueous solution. Characterization tests confirmed successful immobilization of lipozyme which significantly altered thermal behavior, surface characteristics, and surface morphology of PEGDMA and PEGDMA/APTES. In addition, the immobilization yields were calculated as 85.0% and 72.0% onto PEGDMA/APTES using physical adsorption and covalent immobilization methods, respectively. The nicotine removal efficiencies were calculated to be 66.4%, 79.0%, 98.9%, and 85.7%, using raw PEGDMA, PEGDMA/APTES, PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM, and PEGDMA/APTES/GU@LPZM, respectively. For the raw PEGDMA, the Langmuir isotherm was best fitted to the adsorption data, while Langmuir-Freundich model described well the adsorption process on PEGDMA/APTES and PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM. The maximum adsorption capacities of Langmuir-Freundlich model increased from 8.118 to 17.32 mg/g after enzyme immobilization. The negative enthalpy value, ΔH° (- 10.37 kJ/mol), revealed that the nicotine adsorption on PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM was exothermic in nature, which was corroborated by the decrease observed in the number of adsorbed molecules with increasing temperature. In the kinetic experiments, the adsorption on PEGDMA and PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM reached equilibrium with the removal percentages as 66.4% and 98.9% at the end of 3 h, respectively. The nicotine adsorption performances in real water matrices were also investigated, and PEGDMA/APTES@LPZM showed satisfactory reusability with removal percentage decreased from 98.9% (1st cycle) to 83.0% (6th cycle).

Exogenous application of low and high molecular weight organic acids differentially affected the uptake of cadmium in wheat-rice cropping system in alkaline calcareous soil

Anthropogenic cadmium (Cd) in arable soils is becoming a global concern due to its harmful effects on crop yield and quality. The current study examined the role of exogenously applied low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) including oxalic acid (OxA), tartaric acid (TA) and high molecular weight organic acids (HMWOAs) like citric acid (CA) and humic acid (HA) for the bioavailability of Cd in wheat-rice cropping system. Maximum increase in root dry-weight, shoot dry-weight, and grain/paddy yields was recorded with HA for both crops. The HA significantly decreased AB-DTPA Cd in contaminated soils which remained 41% for wheat and 48% for rice compared with their respective controls. The minimum concentration of Cd in roots, shoots and grain/paddy was observed in HA treatment in both crops. The organic acids significantly increased the growth parameters, photosynthetic activity, and relative leaf moisture contents for both wheat and rice crops compared to that with the contaminated control. Application of OxA and TA increased the bioavailability of Cd in soils and plant tissues while CA and HA decreased the bioavailability of Cd in soils and plants. The highest decrease in Cd uptake, bioaccumulation, translocation factor, immobilization, translocation, harvest, and health risk indices were observed with HA while maximum increase was recorded with OxA for both wheat and rice. The results concluded that use of HMWOAs is effective in soil Cd immobilization being maximum with HA. While LMWOAs can be used for the phytoextraction of Cd in contaminated soils having maximum potential with OxA.

The importance of presoaking to improve the efficiency of MgCl2-modified and non-modified biochar in the adsorption of cadmium

Investigating the effect of presoaking, as one of the most important physical factors affecting the adsorption behavior of biochar, on the adsorption of heavy metals by modified or non-modified biochar and presoaking mechanism is still an open issue. In this study, the water presoaking effect on the kinetics of cadmium (Cd) adsorption by rice husk biochar (produced at 450 °C, B1, and at 600 °C, B2) and the rice husk biochar modified with magnesium chloride (B1 modified with MgCl₂, MB1, and B2 modified with MgCl₂, MB2) was investigated. Furthermore, the effect of pH (2, 5, and 6), temperature (15, 25, and 35 °C), and biochar particle size (100 and 500 µm) on the kinetics of Cd adsorption was also investigated. Results revealed that the content of Cd adsorbed by the presoaked biochar was significantly higher than that by the non-presoaked biochar. The highest Cd adsorption capacity of MB2 and MB1 was 98.4 and 97.6 mg g^-1, respectively, which was much better than that of B1 (7.6 mg g^-1) and B2 (7.5 mg g^-1). The modeling of kinetics results showed that in all cases pseudo-second-order model was well-fitted (R²>0.99) with Cd adsorption data. The results also indicated that the highest Cd adsorption values were observed at pH 6 in presoaked MB1 with size of 100 µm as well as at the temperature of 35 °C in presoaked MB2, indicating the optimum conditions for this process. The presoaking process was not affected by biochar size and pH, and the difference in adsorbed Cd content between presoaked biochars and non-presoaked ones was also similar. However, the temperature had a negative effect on presoaking. The presoaking process decreased micropores (<10 µm) in the biochars but had no effect on biochar hydrophobicity. Therefore, presoaking, which could significantly increase Cd adsorption and reduce equilibrium time by reducing the micropores of biochars, is suggested as an effective strategy for improving the efficiency of modified biochars or non-modified ones in the adsorption of contaminants (Cd) from aquatic media.

Preparation of a ternary composite based on water caltrop shell derived biochar and gelatin/alginate for cadmium removal from contaminated water: Performances assessment and mechanism insight

A ternary composite (SA/GE@BC) for cadmium removal from wastewater was successfully prepared. The alginate and gelatin were successfully impregnated with biochar (derived from water caltrop shell) to improve the recyclability and adsorption capacity. The prepared SA/GE@BC demonstrated a good removal for cadmium at pH 4.0-7.0 conditions. The cadmium removal increased with increasing SA/GE@BC dosage. The adsorption kinetics process was well consistent with the pseudo-second order model. And the Langmuir model (R² > 0.99) best described the isotherm data. The calculated adsorption capacity reached a maximum of 86.25 mg/g. The adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process, and elevating temperature favored the removal of cadmium. The alginate-gelatin composition enhanced the number of oxygenated functional groups and exchangeable ions. This enhanced the removal of cadmium by complexation and cation ion exchange. Also, the removal mechanism of cadmium on SA/GE@BC involved electrostatic attraction and π-bond coordination. The saturated SA/GE@BC could be well regenerated by 0.1 M HNO₃. All these results suggested the preparation of SA/GE@BC could effectively use waste resources to produce highly effective adsorbents for removing cadmium from contaminated water.

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.

Efficient removal of dyes from aqueous solutions using short-length bimodal mesoporous carbon adsorbents

Ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) with controlled mesopore lengths and volumes were synthesized and investigated to remove the model dye methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The pore size, specific surface area, pore volume, and pore length of OMCs (CMK-3, sCMK-3, and sCMK-5) were analyzed and benchmarked against commercial activated carbon (AC). CMK-3 and sCMK-3 had narrow pore size distributions (PSDs) centered at ∼4.4 nm, whereas the PSD of sCMK-5 was bimodal, derived from the same pores as CMK-3 (∼4.4 nm) and the inner diameter of the carbon nanotubes (∼5.8 nm). The pore length decreased from 743 nm for CMK-3 to 173 nm for sCMK-3 and 169 nm for sCMK-5, facilitating the MB accessibility and efficient utilization of internal mesopores. The MB adsorption on the prepared adsorbents was well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R² > 0.999), and the initial adsorption rate (h) on sCMK-5 was 34.07-fold faster than that on commercial AC. The Langmuir model adequately explained the equilibrium adsorption data, and the increase in the Langmuir maximal adsorption capacity (q_m) of the OMCs was proportional to the specific surface area. The MB adsorption on sCMK-5 was endothermic and spontaneous, and proceeded primarily through physical adsorption as well as chemisorption reacting with oxygen atoms in hydroxyl groups. The prepared adsorbents were also suitable for polishing textile wastewater containing color-causing substances along with the background organic matter. These OMCs are promising for treating wastewater as efficient adsorbents for large molecular pollutants such as dyes.

Removal of cadmium in aqueous solutions using a ball milling-assisted one-pot pyrolyzed iron-biochar composite derived from cotton husk

A novel iron-biochar composite adsorbent was produced via ball milling-assisted one-pot pyrolyzed BM-nZVI-BC 800. Characterization proved that nano zero valent iron was successfully embedded in the newly produced biochar, and the nZVI payload was higher than that of traditional one-pot pyrolyzed methods. BM-nZVI-BC 800 provided a high adsorption performance of cadmium reaching 96.40 mg·g^-1 during batch testing. Alkaline conditions were beneficial for cadmium removal of BM-nZVI-BC 800. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm fitted better, demonstrating that the Cd adsorption on the BM-nZVI-BC 800 was a chemical and surface process. The intraparticle diffusion controlled the adsorption of BM-nZVI-BC 800. The physisorption dominated by high specific surface area and mesoporous structure was the primary mechanism in the removal of cadmium, though electrostatic attraction and complexation also played a secondary role in cadmium adsorption. Compared to adsorbents prepared by more traditional methods, the efficiencies of the ball milling-assisted one-pot pyrolyzed method appears superior.

Algae, biochar and bacteria for acid mine drainage (AMD) remediation: A review

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a global issue and causes harmful environmental impacts. AMD has high acidity and contains a high concentration of heavy metals and metalloids, making it toxic to plants, animals, and humans. Traditional treatments for AMD have been widely used for a long time. Nevertheless, some limitations, such as low efficacy and secondary contamination, have led them to be replaced by other methods such as bio-based AMD treatments. This study reviewed three bio-based treatment methods using algae, biochar, and bacteria that can be used separately and potentially in combination for effective and sustainable AMD treatment to identify the removal mechanisms and essential parameters affecting AMD treatment. All bio-based methods, when applied as a single process and in combination (e.g. algae-biochar and algae-bacteria), were identified as effective treatments for AMD. Also, all these bio-based methods were found to be affected by some parameters (e.g. pH, temperature, biomass concentration and initial metal concentration) when removing heavy metals from AMD. However, we did not identify any research focusing on the combination of algae-biochar-bacteria as a consortium for AMD treatment. Therefore, due to the excellent performance in AMD treatment of algae, biochar and bacteria and the potential synergism among them, this review provides new insight and discusses the feasibility of a combination of algae-biochar-bacteria for AMD treatment.

Nanoporous carbon materials as a sustainable alternative for the remediation of toxic impurities and environmental contaminants: A review

Due to rapidly deteriorating water resources, the world is looking forward to a sustainable alternative for the remediation of noxious pollutants such as heavy metals and organic and gaseous contaminants. To address this global issue of environmental pollution, nanoporous carbon materials (NPCMs) can be used as a one-stop solution. They are widely applied as adsorbents for many toxic impurities and environmental contaminants. The present review provides a detailed overview of the role of different synthesis factors on the porous characteristics of carbon materials, activating agents, reagent-precursor ratio and their potential application in the remediation. Findings revealed that synthetic parameters result in the formation of microporous NPCMs (S_BET: >4000 m³/g; V_Total (cm³/g) ≥ 2; V_Micro (cm³/g) ≥ 1), micromesoporous (S_BET: >2500 m³/g; V_Total (cm³/g) ≥ 1.5; V_Micro (cm³/g) ≥ 0.7) and mesoporous (S_BET: >2500 m³/g; V_Total (cm³/g) ≥ 1.5; V_Micro (cm³/g) ≥ 0.5) NPCMs. Moreover, it was observed that a narrow pore size distribution (0.5-2.0 nm) yields excellent results in the remediation of noxious contaminants. Further, chemical activating agents such as NaOH, KOH, ZnCl₂, and H₃PO₄ were compared. It was observed that activating agents KОН, H₃PO₄, and ZnCl₂ were generally used and played a significant role in the possible large-scale production and commercialization of NPCMs. Thus, it can be interpreted that with a well-planned strategy for the synthesis, NPCMs with a "tuned" porosity for a specific application, in particular, microporosity for the accumulation and adsorption of energetically important gases (CO₂, CH₄, H₂), micro-mesoporosity and mesoporosity for high adsorption capacity for towards metal ions and a large number of dyes, respectively.

Tetracycline Adsorption on Magnetic Sludge Biochar: Effects of pH, Humic Acid (HA), and Fulvic Acid (FA)

Natural organic matters (NOMs) are ubiquitous in the environment, but few systematic studies have examined the influence of NOMs on the sorption ability of magnetic sludge biochar. In this study, magnetic sludge biochar was synthesized, characterized, and used as a sorbent to remove tetracycline (TC) from aqueous solutions. The effects of pH, humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA) on TC adsorption by magnetic sludge biochar were studied using batch experiments. Adding HA and FA can alter the adsorption behavior of TC, except for its pH dependency. The results of this study show that relatively low concentrations of dissolved HA (≤8 ppm) and FA (≤5 ppm) promote the adsorption capacity of TC, but higher concentrations compete against TC for sorption sites on the surface of magnetic sludge biochar. The results of this study promote a better understanding of the application of magnetic sludge biochar in real antibiotic wastewater.

Biochar nanoparticles with different pyrolysis temperatures mediate cadmium transport in water-saturated soils: Effects of ionic strength and humic acid

Biochar is advocated as an environment-friendly and cost-effective material for removing both heavy metals and organic contaminants in soil remediation. However, our understandings on the cotransport potential of contaminants with the nanoscale biochar downward along soil profiles (e.g., potential environmental risks towards groundwater) remain largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of wheat straw-derived biochar nanoparticles pyrolyzed at 350 °C and 500 °C (BNP350 and BNP500) on the transport of cadmium (Cd(II)) in water-saturated soil packed columns. Different ionic strengths (ISs) without/with humic acid (HA) were tested to mimic the scenarios during soil remediation. BNPs could act as a vehicle mediating Cd(II) transport in soils. At a low IS (1.0 mM KCl), compared to the limited transport of individual Cd(II), BNP500 enhanced (69 times) Cd(II) transport (Cd(II) mass recovery (M) = 7.59%) in soils, which was greater than that by BNP350 (54 times, M = 5.92%), likely due to the higher adsorption of Cd(II) onto BNP500. HA further increased the Cd(II) transport by BNPs (M = 8.40% for BNP350 and M = 11.95% for BNP500), which was mainly due to the increased mobility of BNPs carrying more absorbed Cd(II). In contrast, at a high IS (10 mM KCl), BNP500 dramatically inhibited the transport of Cd(II) (M = 12.9%), decreasing by about 61.6%, compared to the BNPs absence (M = 33.6%). This is because a large amount of BNP500-Cd(II) was retained in soils at a high IS. This inhibition effect of Cd(II) transport by BNPs was reinforced with the presence of HA. Our findings suggest that the pyrolysis temperature of biochar should be carefully considered when applying biochar for in-situ remediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals such as Cd(II) under various organic matter and IS conditions.

Microplastics as a vehicle of heavy metals in aquatic environments: A review of adsorption factors, mechanisms, and biological effects

Microplastics (MPs) have recently attracted much attention due to their widespread distribution in the aquatic environment. Microplastics can act as a vector of heavy metals in the aquatic environment, causing a potential threat to aquatic organisms and human health. This review mainly summarized the occurrence of microplastics in the aquatic environment and their interaction with heavy metals. Then, we considered the adsorption mechanisms of MPs and heavy metals, and further critically discussed the effects of microplastics properties and environmental factors (e.g., pH, DOM, and salinity) on the adsorption of heavy metals. Finally, the potential risks of combined exposure of MPs and heavy metals to aquatic biota were briefly evaluated. This work aims to provide a theoretical summary of the interaction between MPs and heavy metals, and is expected to serve as a reference for the accurate assessment of their potential risks in future studies.

Biochar-cadmium retention and its effects after aging with Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal that can become available to the environment from a variety of sources. The thermal transformation of organic residues into biochar can be a sustainable way to reduce cadmium environmental availability and, at the same time, a waste management solution. We studied sixteen biochars in two versions: unaged and aged with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), regarding their Cd retention capacity. Feedstocks used included softwood biochar (SWB), almond shell (ASB), walnut shell (WSB), sewage sludge (SSB), and coconut shell (CSB); production temperatures varied from 450 to 900 °C. The objectives of this research were to understand the role of biochar properties on Cd adsorption rates and to evaluate how properties and adsorption rates vary as a function of H2O2 aging. Feedstock played a more important role than production temperature in determining biochar properties. Cd-adsorption capacity ranged from 0.67 to 415.67 mg/g, and the biochars that adsorbed the most Cd were SSB 700, SWB 800 - i, CSB 600 - m2, ASB 500-1, CSB 600 - m3, WSB 900, and CSB 600. The properties that best explained this variation in Cd retention were ash, sulfur, nitrogen and carbon content. Variation in oxygen content, cation exchange capacity and surface area had less impact of Cd adsorption. The H2O2 aging caused oxygen content to increase in all biochars, but the increase in Cd retention was not significant for the majority of the biochars and aging even reduced the Cd retention in some. Our results may help design biochars with maximized sites for Cd adsorption.

Modern Carbon-Based Materials for Adsorptive Removal of Organic and Inorganic Pollutants from Water and Wastewater

Currently, a serious threat for living organisms and human life in particular, is water contamination with persistent organic and inorganic pollutants. To date, several techniques have been adopted to remove/treat organics and toxic contaminants. Adsorption is one of the most effective and economical methods for this purpose. Generally, porous materials are considered as appropriate adsorbents for water purification. Conventional adsorbents such as activated carbons have a limited possibility of surface modification (texture and functionality), and their adsorption capacity is difficult to control. Therefore, despite the significant progress achieved in the development of the systems for water remediation, there is still a need for novel adsorptive materials with tunable functional characteristics. This review addresses the new trends in the development of new adsorbent materials. Herein, modern carbon-based materials, such as graphene, oxidized carbon, carbon nanotubes, biomass-derived carbonaceous matrices-biochars as well as their composites with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-derived highly-ordered carbons are considered as advanced adsorbents for removal of hazardous organics from drinking water, process water, and leachate. The review is focused on the preparation and modification of these next-generation carbon-based adsorbents and analysis of their adsorption performance including possible adsorption mechanisms. Simultaneously, some weak points of modern carbon-based adsorbents are analyzed as well as the routes to conquer them. For instance, for removal of large quantities of pollutants, the combination of adsorption and other methods, like sedimentation may be recommended. A number of efficient strategies for further enhancing the adsorption performance of the carbon-based adsorbents, in particular, integrating approaches and further rational functionalization, including composing these adsorbents (of two or even three types) can be recommended. The cost reduction and efficient regeneration must also be in the focus of future research endeavors. The targeted optimization of the discussed carbon-based adsorbents associated with detailed studies of the adsorption process, especially, for multicomponent adsorbate solution, will pave a bright avenue for efficient water remediation.

An Insight into a Sustainable Removal of Bisphenol A from Aqueous Solution by Novel Palm Kernel Shell Magnetically Induced Biochar: Synthesis, Characterization, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies

Recently Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the persistent trace hazardous estrogenic contaminants in the environment, that can trigger a severe threat to humans and environment even at minuscule concentrations. Thus, this work focused on the synthesis of neat and magnetic biochar (BC) as a sustainable and inexpensive adsorbent to remove BPA from aqueous environment. Novel magnetic biochar was efficiently synthesized by utilizing palm kernel shell, using ferric chloride and ferrous chloride as magnetic medium via chemical co-precipitation technique. In this experimental study, the influence of operating factors comprising contact time (20-240 min), pH (3.0-12.0), adsorbent dose (0.2-0.8 g), and starting concentrations of BPA (8.0-150 ppm) were studied in removing BPA during batch adsorption system using neat biochar and magnetic biochar. It was observed that the magnetically loaded BC demonstrates superior maximum removal efficiency of BPA with 94.2%, over the neat biochar. The functional groups (FTIR), Zeta potential, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), surface and textural properties (BET), surface morphology, and mineral constituents (FESEM/EDX), and chemical composition (XRD) of the adsorbents were examined. The experimental results demonstrated that the sorption isotherm and kinetics were suitably described by pseudo-second-order model and Freundlich model, respectively. By studying the adsorption mechanism, it was concluded that π-π electron acceptor-donor interaction (EAD), hydrophobic interaction, and hydrogen bond were the principal drives for the adsorption of BPA onto the neat BC and magnetic BC.

Hydrothermal synthesis of hydroxyapatite-reduced graphene oxide (1D-2D) hybrids with enhanced selective adsorption properties for methyl orange and hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions

The presence of organic dye molecules and heavy metal ions in water causes ecological and public health problems. Therefore, remediation of water/wastewater contaminated with organic dye molecules and toxic metal ions is of importance. Herein, a reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-hydroxyapatite (Hat) (1D-2D) hybrid composite was fabricated through a hydrothermal process and applied for the adsorption of methyl orange (MO) and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from water. The as-fabricated RGO-Hat hybrids were characterized using FTIR, XRD, HR-TEM, SEM, XPS, EDAX, and TGA-DSC analytical techniques. The influencing parameters of adsorption performance, namely solution pH, contact time, and co-interfering ions, were explored to obtain the maximum adsorption capacity of contaminants from the solid-liquid interface. Batch studies revealed that MO and Cr(VI) adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic and the Langmuir isotherm models. The adsorption capacity was 49.14 and 45.24 mg g^-1 for MO and Cr(VI), respectively. The adsorption of such ions over RGO-Hat hybrids was mainly driven by several uptake mechanisms viz, electrostatic force of attraction, π-π interactions, and hydrogen bonding. Thus, this study demonstrated that the RGO-Hat hybrid is a potential candidate for the treatment of MO and Cr(VI) from water.

A Novel Manganese-Rich Pokeweed Biochar for Highly Efficient Adsorption of Heavy Metals from Wastewater: Performance, Mechanisms, and Potential Risk Analysis

A novel manganese-rich pokeweed biochar was prepared at different temperatures from manganese-rich pokeweed plants collected at manganese tailings, resulting in materials identified as BC300, BC400, and BC500. The synthetized biochar materials were investigated as regards their potential for removing Cu2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+, specifically in terms of adsorption performances, adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and potential environmental pollution risk. The results showed that the sorption process fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir models, and the maximum adsorption capacities of BC500 were 246, 326, and 310 mg·g−1 for Cu2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ respectively. The physicochemical characteristics of the biochars, and the adsorption mechanisms, were revealed by using scanning electron microscopy-energy spectrometer, elemental analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller techniques, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The sorption mechanism of these three heavy metal ions onto biochars included ion exchange, electrostatic adsorption, chemical adsorption, and precipitation. Besides, the potential pollution risk of manganese-rich pokeweed biochars was significantly reduced after pyrolysis. Therefore, it is feasible to transform manganese-rich pokeweed biomass into manganese-rich pokeweed biochar with potential for heavy metals removal, showing high adsorption capacity, recyclability, and low environmental pollution.

Cucumber peel bead biosorbent for multi-ion decontamination of drinking water collected from a mine region in New Zealand

Cucumber peel as a bead was examined for its ability to remove heavy metals from drinking water. Deionised laboratory water was spiked with seven toxic ions namely, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, lead and nickel at 0.1 mg L^-1 and kinetic studies were performed over 72 h. Kinetic data were modelled using film diffusion, pore diffusion, Weber-Morris, pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and Elovich equation. The bead surface was imaged before and after biosorption using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Results indicated that different ions contained in a multi-ion solution were biosorbed by different mechanisms and at different rates. Equilibrium biosorption for Cd, Hg and Ni was ∼91, 90 and 67%, respectively, at 24 h. These ions diffused through the pores of the bead, as they were not identified by EDS, and their biosorption increased with an increase in temperature. The least biosorbed ions were As and Cr with ∼21 and 17% equilibrium biosorption, respectively. The removal of only Cu, Hg, Pb and Ni was pH-dependent. Cucumber peel beads removed all spiked ions from real drinking water collected near the Macraes gold mine in New Zealand, but the biosorption percentage was lower for Cd, Cu, Pb and Ni compared to spiked deionised laboratory water. The results of this study suggest that cucumber peel when immobilised on a sodium alginate bead can be used as a potential biosorbent for the removal of multiple toxic ions from drinking water and their use warrants further examination in contaminated drinking water.

Graphitic bio-char and bio-oil synthesis via hydrothermal carbonization-co-liquefaction of microalgae biomass (oiled/de-oiled) and multiple heavy metals remediations

Thermochemical transformation of microalgae biomass into graphitic bio-chars entices as proficient bio-adsorbents for heavy metal contaminants. This study explores the synergistic impact of Chlorella sorokiniana on biomass generation and wastewater remediation in high rate algae pond (HRAP). Biomass produced was applied for hydrothermal carbonization-co-liquefaction (HTCL). The structural and morphological characteristics of HTCL products (i.e. bio-chars and bio-oils) have been systematically studied by XRD, Raman, FTIR, elemental analyzer, SEM, BET, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The crystallite size of the graphite 2H indexing planes was to be 4.65 nm and 14.07 nm in the bio-chars of oiled biomass (MB-OB) and de-oiled biomass (MB-DOB), respectively. The increase in the I_D/I_G ratio of MB-DOB indicated the highly disordered graphitic structure due to the appearance of carbonyl, hydroxyl, and epoxy functionalities in the line of high C/N and low C/H ratio. Also, the multiple heavy metals remediation of MB-DOB revealed better efficiency as ~100% in 720 min. The kinetics analysis shows the correlation coefficient of pseudo-second-order is well fitted compared to the pseudo-first-order. The Langmuir adsorption model signifies the adsorption of heavy metal ions in a monolayer adsorption manner. The study proposes the microalgae bio-char potential for multiple heavy metals remediation alongside bio-oils.

Synthesis of hierarchically structured T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite and their catalytic removal of colour and colourless phenolic compounds

Phenolic compounds bisphenol A (BPA) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) are the prime water contaminants. As reported, these compounds are some of the highly hazardous ones to the human and living species. In this study, T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite was synthesized employing hydrothermal method and the obtained composite samples were systematically characterized by FTIR, XPS, FE-SEM and HR-TEM studies. The FTIR, XPS analysis confirmed the successful surface modification of T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite. The FE-SEM morphology confirmed the formation of ZnO (arm length about 2.5 μm) tetrapod structured in synthesized T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite. The thickness of formed ZnO arm (0.44 μm) was increased after the polymer coating which confirmed the successful surface modification by PEI polymer. The HR-TEM images confirm the uniform coating of PEI polymer on T-ZnO-rGO surface. The catalytic activity and adsorption capacity of the synthesized T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite was successfully explored using 4-nitrophenol and bisphenol-A as model pollutants .T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite and found that 4-NP reduction reaction was completed within 10 min with the rate of 0.224 min^-1. The BPA adsorption over T-ZnO-rGO-PEI exhibited high adsorption rate of 0.0210 min^-1. In addition, the detailed 4-NP reduction and BPA adsorption mechanism was demonstrated. Hence the synthesized T-ZnO-rGO-PEI composite is a promising catalyst for the removal of micropollutants in aqueous medium.

Fungal remediation of Cd(ii) from wastewater using immobilization techniques

The pollution of wastewater by heavy metal ions is hazardous to the environment and human health. Cd(ii) has been recognized as one of the heavy metals that causes severe toxic effects. The present study is aimed at removing Cd(ii) from wastewater using fungal biomass either immobilized on loofa sponges or in Ca-alginate beads. Two fungal species were isolated from pools of Cd(ii)-polluted wastewater obtained from some Egyptian industrial plants, and using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) primers, they were molecularly identified as Penicillium chrysogenum and Cephalotheca foveolata with accession numbers MT664773 and MT664745, respectively. The sorbents used in this study were heat-inactivated mycelia of P. chrysogenum (PEN), heat-inactivated mycelia of C. foveolata (CEP), P. chrysogenum immobilized on loofa sponge (PEN-ILS), C. foveolata immobilized on loofa sponge (CEP-ILS), P. chrysogenum immobilized in Ca-alginate beads (PEN-IA), and C. foveolata immobilized in Ca-alginate beads (CEP-IA). The effects of pH, contact time, initial Cd(ii) concentration, and interfering ions on Cd(ii) removal from aqueous solution were tested. Maximum Cd(ii) sorption capacity was obtained at pH 7.0, with thirty minutes contact time and 0.5 mol l⁻¹ initial Cd(ii) concentration for all sorbents used. However, Ca²⁺ displayed synergistic interference with Cd(ii) that was greater than that from Na⁺ and K⁺, with decreasing sorption capacity for all sorbents. Optimum conditions were applied to real wastewater samples collected from two Egyptian industrial plants. All sorbents had the ability to remove Cd(ii) from wastewater samples, and enhanced removal occurred when fungal cells were immobilized as compared to free cells.

The pollution of wastewater by heavy metal ions is hazardous to the environment and human health.

Humic Acid Mitigates the Negative Effects of High Rates of Biochar Application on Microbial Activity

Objective: Biochar and a commercial humic acid-rich product, Humac (modified leonardite), represent soil amendments with the broad and beneficial effects on various soil properties. Their combination has been scarcely tested so far, although the positive impact of their interaction might be desirable. Materials and Methods: The dehydrogenase activity (DHA), microbial biomass carbon (Cmic), soil respiration (basal and substrate-induced), enzyme activities, total carbon (Ctot), and both shoot and root biomass yield were measured and compared in the short-term pot experiment with the lettuce seedlings. The following treatments were tested: the unamended soil (control), the Humac-amended soil (0.8 g·kg−1), the biochar-amended soil (low biochar 32 g·kg−1, high biochar 80 g·kg−1), and the soil-amended with biochar + Humac. Results: The effect of both amendments on the soil pH was insignificant. The highest average values of Ctot and Cmic were detected in high biochar treatment and the highest average values of basal and substrate-induced respiration (glucose, glucosamine, alanine) were detected in the low biochar treatment. The phosphatase activity and fresh and dry lettuce aboveground biomass were the highest in the low biochar + Humac treatment. Conclusions: Even though the combination of both biochar + Humac decreased the microbial activities in the amended soil (Cmic, DHA, enzymes, substrate-induced respiration) at the low biochar dose, they mitigated the detrimental effect of the high biochar dose on respiration (all the types) and the enzyme (phosphatase, arylsulphatase) activities. In contrast to the previously published research in this issue, the effects could not be attributed to the change of the soil pH.

Disulfide polymer grafted polypropylene/polyethylene filter media for selective cadmium removal

Heavy metal pollution caused by stormwater runoff has triggered a demand for effective heavy metal sorbents. Effective heavy metal removal using conventional stormwater runoff treatment processes that employ filtration mechanisms as primary removal mechanisms is difficult. Therefore, we attempt to improve cadmium removal performance by attaching disulfide polymer (DiS-COP) containing soft bases, thiols, onto the surface of polypropylene/polyethylene (PP/PE) fiber media, which is widely used for stormwater runoff treatment. Material characterization demonstrated that DiS-COP was successfully grafted and grown on the surface of PP/PE (Dis-PP/PE). The batch and continuous flow adsorption capacities of Dis-PP/PE were 81.1 mg/g and 2.33 mg/g, respectively, which is 40 times higher than those of pristine PP/PE. Applicability of DiS-PP/PE at pH 6-8 was demonstrated, and effects of calcium and humic acid on cadmium adsorption were investigated. Calcium marginally affected cadmium adsorption, which can be explained using the Hard and soft (Lewis) acids and bases theory (HSAB), but cadmium removal efficiency decreased owing to humic acid (HA)-Cd complex formation and agglomeration in the presence of organic material. In a breakthrough test, the adsorption column exhibited complete cadmium uptake over 24 h until it reached the breakthrough point. Therefore, heavy metal adsorption performance of PP/PE was successfully enhanced by grafting DiS-COP on its surface.

Adsorption mechanism of cadmium on microplastics and their desorption behavior in sediment and gut environments: The roles of water pH, lead ions, natural organic matter and phenanthrene

Microplastics (MPs) in aquatic systems can act as a vector for various toxic contaminants, such as metal ions. Although some studies have investigated the adsorption characteristics of metal ions on MPs, the desorption behaviors of metal ions from MPs in different environments are largely unknown. Here, the adsorption of cadmium (Cd(II)) onto five different types of MPs were compared to examine the relationship between the surface characteristics and the adsorption properties of MPs. Our results showed that polyamide had the highest Cd(II) adsorption capability with a value of 1.70 ± 0.04 mg/g, followed by polyvinyl chloride (1.04 ± 0.03 mg/g), polystyrene (0.76 ± 0.02 mg/g), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (0.65 ± 0.02 mg/g) and polyethylene terephthalate (0.25 ± 0.01 mg/g). The specific surface area and total pore volume were closely correlated with the adsorption capacity of the MPs, and the π-π interaction, electrostatic interaction and oxygen-containing functional groups played crucial roles in the adsorption of Cd(II) onto the MPs. The sorption capabilities of Cd(II) onto the MPs first increased and then decreased with increasing solution pH from 2.0 to 9.0. In addition, the adsorption capacities were suppressed with the presence of lead ions (20-80 mg/L), while the coexistence of phenanthrene had a minor impact. Interestingly, the presence of humic acid promoted the desorption of Cd(II) from the MPs both in the synthetic earthworm gut and in the sediment system. A higher desorption rate was observed in the simulated gut environment, suggesting that metal-contaminated MPs would pose higher ecological risks to macroinvertebrates. Overall, our findings provide a better understanding of the sorption mechanism of Cd(II) onto MPs and the desorption behavior under different environmental conditions in aquatic ecosystems.

Properties and adsorption mechanism of magnetic biochar modified with molybdenum disulfide for cadmium in aqueous solution

In this paper, we present the preparation of MoS₂-modified magnetic biochar (MoS₂@MBC) as a novel adsorbent by a simple hydrothermal method. MoS₂@MBC contains abundant S-containing functional groups that facilitate efficient Cd(II) removal from aqueous systems. We employed various characterization techniques to explore the morphology, surface area, and chemical composition of MoS₂@MBC; these included Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction,. The results indicated the successful decoration of the surface of MoS₂@MBC with iron and MoS₂, and a higher surface area of MoS₂@MBC than that of unmodified biochar. Moreover, adsorption properties including thermodynamics and kinetics were investigated along with the effects of pH, humic acid, and ionic strength on the Cd(II) adsorption onto MoS₂@MBC. The O-, C-, S-, and Fe-containing functional groups on the surface of MoS₂@MBC led to an electrostatic attraction of Cd(II) and strong Cd-S complexation. The Langmuir and pseudo second-order models fitted best for the batch adsorption experiments results. The adsorption capacity of MoS₂@MBC (139 mg g^-1 on the basis of the Langmuir model) was 7.81 times higher than that of pristine biochar. The adsorption process was found to be pH-dependent. The experimental results indicated that MoS₂@MBC is an effective adsorbent for removing Cd(II) from water solutions. Further, the adsorption process involved the complexation of Cd(II) with oxygen-based functional groups, ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, Cd(II)-π interactions, metal-sulfur complexation, and inner-surface complexation. This work provides new insights into the Cd(II) ions removal from water via adsorption. It also demonstrates that MoS₂@MBC is an efficient and economic adsorbent to treat Cd(II)-contaminated water.

The characteristics of oestrone mobility in water and soil by the addition of Ca-biochar and Fe-Mn-biochar derived from Litchi chinensis Sonn

In this study, the effect of biochar (BC) derived from Litchi chinensis Sonn. and its modification, including Ca-biochar (Ca-BC) and Fe-Mn-biochar (Fe-Mn-BC), on the transportation of oestrone (E1) in water and soil was investigated. Fe-Mn-BC showed better adsorption ability than other types of biochar (BC, Ca-BC) under different conditions (humic acid, pH, ionic strength) in an aqueous environment. The maximum mass of sorbent at 298 K increased from 1.12 mg g^-1 (BC) to 4.18 mg g^-1 (Fe-Mn-BC). Humic acid had a greater impact on aqueous E1 adsorption on these biochars than did the pH and ionic strength. Fe-Mn-BC as a soil amendment had a great control of E1 transport in soil, and no leachate of E1 was observed in the column experiment. E1 mobility showed strong retardation in amended soil with Ca-BC (R_f = 11.2) compared with raw soil (R_f = 7.1). These results suggested that Fe-Mn-BC was more effective in controlling E1 transportation, and Fe-Mn-BC could be used as an alternative and inexpensive adsorbent to reduce E1 contaminants from water and soil.

Excellent adsorptive performance of a new nanocomposite for removal of toxic Pb(II) from aqueous environment: Adsorption mechanism and modeling analysis

Herein, a novel nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA) was prepared and used for adsorptive removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous environment. The magnetic nanocomposite (Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA) was characterized using FTIR, TEM, SEM, EDX, element mapping analysis (EMA), TGA analysis, XRD patterns, VSM, BET analysis, XPS spectrum, and zeta potential. The FTIR study confirmed the modification of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with triaminetriethoxysilane and 2-aminoterephthalic acid while XPS analysis (with peaks at 283.6, 285.1, 286.3, 284.5.0, 288.4 eV) displayed the presence of CSi, CN, OCNH, CC/CC and OCO functional groups, respectively on Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA. The BET surface area, average pore size, pore volume and magnetization saturation for Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA were found to be 114 m²/g, 6.4 nm, 0.054 cm^-3/g, and 22 emu/g, respectively. The adsorption isotherm data showed that Pb(II) adsorption onto Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA fitted to Langmuir and Dubinin-Raduskevich isotherm model due to better R² value which was greater than 0.9 and q_m of Pb(II) was 205.2 mg/g at pH 5.7 in 150 min. Adsorption kinetics data displayed that Pb(II) adsorption onto Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA was fitted to the pseudo-second-order and Elovich kinetic models. Thermodynamic outcomes exhibited the exothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption. Results showed that Fe₃O₄@TATS@ATA nanocomposite was promising material for efficient removal of toxic Pb(II) from aqueous environment.

Removal Efficiencies of Manganese and Iron Using Pristine and Phosphoric Acid Pre-Treated Biochars Made from Banana Peels

The purpose of this study was to compare the removal efficiencies of manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) using pristine banana peel biochar (BPB) and phosphoric acid pre-treated biochars (PBPB) derived from banana peels. The removal efficiencies of Mn and Fe were investigated under different adsorbent dosages (0.4–2 g L−1), temperatures (15–45 °C), and ionic strengths (0–0.1 M), and were directly correlated to the differences in physicochemical properties of BPB and PBPB, to identify the removal mechanisms of heavy metals by adsorption processes. The removal of Mn by PBPB obeyed the Freundlich isotherm model while the removal of Mn and Fe by BPB followed the Langmuir isotherm model. However, the removal of Fe by PBPB followed both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. The removal efficiencies of Mn and Fe by BPB and PBPB increased with increasing temperatures and decreased with increasing ionic strengths. PBPB more effectively removed Mn and Fe compared to BPB due to its higher content of oxygen-containing functional groups (O/C ratio of PBPB = 0.45; O/C ratio of BPB = 0.01), higher surface area (PBPB = 27.41 m2 g−1; BPB = 11.32 m2 g−1), and slightly greater pore volume (PBPB = 0.03 cm3 g−1; BPB = 0.027 cm3 g−1). These observations clearly show that phosphoric acid pre-treatment can improve the physicochemical properties of biochar prepared from banana peels, which is closely related to the removal of heavy metals by adsorption processes.

A facile fabrication of sepiolite mineral nanofibers with excellent adsorption performance for Cd2+ ions

In this work, sepiolite mineral nanofibers are facilely prepared by a microwave-hydrogen peroxide method, and the bulk densities of the samples are adopted to evaluate the defibering effect. The samples are systematically characterized through X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area measurement and zeta potential determination, and the adsorptive performance for heavy metal ions in aqueous solution is studied using cadmium ions as the representative. It is found that the specific surface area and cumulative pore volume increase respectively up to 109.21 m2 g-1 and 0.234 cm3 g-1 under the microwave power of 400 W, while the zeta potential reaches a maximum when the pH is 5.0. The adsorption efficiency of sepiolite mineral nanofibers for cadmium ions can reach 68.6% as the optimal value. The as-fabricated sepiolite nanofibers can be regarded as a low-cost and environmentally friendly material which is a promising candidate for heavy metal ion removal from industrial wastewater.