Highly efficient removal of imidacloprid using potassium hydroxide activated magnetic microporous loofah sponge biochar

Physicochemical properties and performance of non-woody derived biochars for the sustainable removal of aquatic pollutants: A systematic review

Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced from the partial combustion of different biomass residues. It can be used as a promising material for adsorbing pollutants from soil and water and promoting environmental sustainability. Extensive research has been conducted on biochars prepared from different feedstocks used for pollutant removal. However, a comprehensive review of biochar derived from non-woody feedstocks (NWF) and its physiochemical attributes, adsorption capacities, and performance in removing heavy metals, antibiotics, and organic pollutants from water systems needs to be included. This review revealed that the biochars derived from NWF and their adsorption efficiency varied greatly according to pyrolysis temperatures. However, biochars (NWF) pyrolyzed at higher temperatures (400-800 °C) manifested excellent physiochemical and structural attributes as well as significant removal effectiveness against antibiotics, heavy metals, and organic compounds from contaminated water. This review further highlighted why biochars prepared from NWF are most valuable/beneficial for water treatment. What preparatory conditions (pyrolysis temperature, residence time, heating rate, and gas flow rate) are necessary to design a desirable biochar containing superior physiochemical and structural properties, and adsorption efficiency for aquatic pollutants? The findings of this review will provide new research directions in the field of water decontamination through the application of NWF-derived adsorbents.

Imidacloprid removal by modified graphitic biochar with Fe/Zn bimetallic oxides

Coping with the critical challenge of imidacloprid (IMI) contamination in sewage treatment and farmland drainage purification, this study presents a pioneering development of an advanced modified graphitic white melon seed shells biochar (Fe/Zn@WBC). The Fe/Zn@WBC demonstrates a substantial enhancement in adsorption efficiency for IMI, achieving a remarkable removal rate of 87.69% within 30 min and a significantly higher initial adsorption rate parameter h = 4.176 mg g-1·min-1. This significant improvement outperforms WBC (12.22%, h = 0.115 mg g-1·min-1) and highlights the influence of optimized adsorption conditions at 900 °C and the graphitization degree resulting from Fe/Zn bimetallic oxide modification. Characterization analysis and batch sorption experiments including kinetics, isotherms, thermodynamics and pH factors illustrate that chemical adsorption is the main type of adsorption mechanism responsible for this superior ability to remove IMI through pore filling, hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interaction, electrostatics interaction, π-π interactions as well as complexation processes. Furthermore, we demonstrate exceptional stability of Fe/Zn@WBC across a broad pH range (pH = 3-11), co-existing ions presence along with humic acid under various real water conditions while maintaining high removal efficiency. This study presents an advanced biochar adsorbent, Fe/Zn@WBC, with efficient adsorption capacity and easy preparation. Through three regeneration cycles via pyrolysis method, it demonstrates excellent pyrolysis regeneration capabilities with an average removal efficiency of 92.02%. The magnetic properties enable rapid separation facilitated by magnetic analysis. By elucidating the efficacy and mechanistic foundations of Fe/Zn@WBC, this research significantly contributes to the field of environmental remediation by providing a scalable solution for IMI removal and enhancing scientific understanding of bimetallic oxides-hydrophilic organic pollutant interactions.

Unlocking the potential of magnetic biochar in wastewater purification: a review on the removal of bisphenol A from aqueous solution

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an essential and extensively utilized chemical compound with significant environmental and public health risks. This review critically assesses the current water purification techniques for BPA removal, emphasizing the efficacy of adsorption technology. Within this context, we probe into the synthesis of magnetic biochar (MBC) using co-precipitation, hydrothermal carbonization, mechanical ball milling, and impregnation pyrolysis as widely applied techniques. Our analysis scrutinizes the strengths and drawbacks of these techniques, with pyrolytic temperature emerging as a critical variable influencing the physicochemical properties and performance of MBC. We explored various modification techniques including oxidation, acid and alkaline modifications, element doping, surface functional modification, nanomaterial loading, and biological alteration, to overcome the drawbacks of pristine MBC, which typically exhibits reduced adsorption performance due to its magnetic medium. These modifications enhance the physicochemical properties of MBC, enabling it to efficiently adsorb contaminants from water. MBC is efficient in the removal of BPA from water. Magnetite and maghemite iron oxides are commonly used in MBC production, with MBC demonstrating effective BPA removal fitting well with Freundlich and Langmuir models. Notably, the pseudo-second-order model accurately describes BPA removal kinetics. Key adsorption mechanisms include pore filling, electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and electron transfer surface interactions. This review provides valuable insights into BPA removal from water using MBC and suggests future research directions for real-world water purification applications.

Biochar Derived from Pineapple Leaf Non-Fibrous Materials and Its Adsorption Capability for Pesticides

Non-fibrous materials (NFMs) are typically discarded during pineapple leaf fiber processing. The underutilized NFM waste was proposed for use in this work as a raw material for the production of biochar . The removal of pesticides (acetamiprid, imidacloprid, or methomyl) from water was then investigated using the NFM derived biochar (NFMBC). The pseudo-second-order kinetic data suggested chemisorption of pesticide on NFMBC. While acetamiprid or imidacloprid adsorption on NFMBC occurred primarily via multi-layered adsorption (best fitted with the Freundlich isotherms), the Sips adsorption isotherms matched with the experimental data, implying heterogeneous adsorption of methomyl on the biochar surface. The adsorption capacities for acetamiprid, methomyl, and imidacloprid are 82.18, 36.16, and 28.98 mg g^-1, respectively, which are in agreement with the order of the polarity (low to high) of pesticides. Adsorption capacities indicated that the NFMBC preferably removed low-polarity pesticides from water sources. Since pineapple leaves provide fibers and NFMs for materials development, this study should promote an extended agro-waste utilization approach and full-cycle resource management in pineapple fields.

Transformation of graphene oxide affects photodegradation of imidacloprid in the aquatic environment: Mechanism and implication

Graphene oxide (GO) is a representative novel carbonaceous nanomaterial, and neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are currently the insecticides with the highest market share in the world. Their widespread application deservedly leads to their release to the environment. Thus, the complex interactions of these two types of organic compounds have attracted extensive attention. In this study, the effects of GO and its derivatives, reduced GO (RGO) and oxidized GO (OGO), on the photolysis of imidacloprid (IMD) (a typical NEO) under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation were systematically investigated. The results showed that the presence of the graphene-based nanomaterials (GNs) largely depressed the photodegradation of IMD, and the inhibition degree followed the order of RGO > GO > OGO. This was because the sp² π-conjugated structure in the GNs caused light-shielding effect and attenuated the direct photolysis of IMD, even though the GNs-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) promoted the indirect photodegradation of IMD to a certain extent. Additionally, the rich O-functionalized GO and OGO altered the photolysis pathway of IMD and induced more toxic intermediate products. These results highlight the implication of carbonaceous nanomaterials on the behavior, fate and potential risk of NEOs in aqueous systems.

Efficient removal of phytochrome using rice straw-derived biochar: Adsorption performance, mechanisms, and practical applications

Rice straw derived biochar was fabricated and applied as a purification agent. The adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics for adsorbates were determined using the biochar. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms were best fitted by the pseudo-second order and Langmuir models. Biochar could effectively remove chlorophyll in 9 different solutions. Biochar was employed as a clean-up reagent for 149 pesticides detection, which revealed that biochar had a higher phytochrome removal capacity than graphitized carbon black and 123 pesticides had satisfactory recovery values. The biochar was prepared into a sample pad by electrospinning and was then used for online sample clean-up in a test strip, and it showed high ability of removing phytochrome and improving detection sensitivity. Thus, biochar could be applied as a purification agent to remove pigmentation, making it a promising candidate not only for sample pretreatment but also in the fields of food, agriculture and environment.

Effect of combined aging treatment on biochar adsorption and speciation distribution for Cd(II)

As a passivation material for heavy metals in-situ remediation, biochar (BC) has often been expected to maintain long-term adsorption performance for target pollutants. There is still lack of consensus about the impact of aging processes on biochar properties, particularly with respect to its long-term sorption performance. In this study, the changes to immobilization mechanisms as well as the speciation distribution of Cd(II) triggered by combined aging simulation (dry-wet, freeze-thaw cycle and oxidation treatment) on BC prepared under three levels of pyrolysis temperatures (300, 500 and 700 °C) were investigated. The results showed significant inhibition of aging on adsorption performance with the adsorptive capacity of BC300, BC500 and BC700 for Cd(II) decreased by 31.12 %, 50.63 % and 14.94 %, respectively. However, sequential extraction results indicated little influence of the aging process on the relative fractionation of Cd(II) speciation. The distribution of readily bioavailable, potentially bioavailable and non-bioavailable fractions of Cd(II) on BC showed only minimal changes post-aging. Overall, there was less Cd(II) sorption following aging, but the fractional availability (in relative terms) remained the same. Compared with 300 and 700 °C, the biochar prepared under 500 °C accounted the highest fraction of non-bioavailable Cd(II) (67.23 % of BC500, 59.17 % of Aged-500), and thus showed most promising for Cd(II) immobilization. This study has important practical significance for the long-term application of biochar in real environment.

Multi-omics approach reveals elevated potential of bacteria for biodegradation of imidacloprid

The residual imidacloprid, a widely used insecticide is causing serious environmental concerns. Knowledge of its biodegradation will help in assessing its residual mass in soil. In view of this, a soil microcosm-based study was performed to test the biodegradation potential of Agrobacterium sp. InxBP2. It achieved ∼88% degradation in 20 days and followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics (k = 0.0511 day^-1 and t_1/2=7 days). Whole genome sequencing of Agrobacterium sp. InxBP2 revealed a genome size of 5.44 Mbp with 5179 genes. Imidacloprid degrading genes at loci K7A42_07110 (ABC transporter substrate-binding protein), K7A42_07270 (amidohydrolase family protein), K7A42_07385 (ABC transporter ATP-binding protein), K7A42_16,845 (nitronate monooxygenase family protein), and K7A42_20,660 (FAD-dependent monooxygenase) having sequence and functional similarity with known counterparts were identified. Molecular docking of proteins encoded by identified genes with their respective degradation pathway intermediates exhibited significant binding energies (-6.56 to -4.14 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamic simulation discovered consistent interactions and binding depicting high stability of docked complexes. Proteome analysis revealed differential protein expression in imidacloprid treated versus untreated samples which corroborated with the in-silico findings. Further, the detection of metabolites proved the bacterial degradation of imidacloprid. Thus, results provided a mechanistic link between imidacloprid and associated degradative genes/enzymes of Agrobacterium sp. InxBP2. These findings will be of immense significance in carrying out the lifecycle analysis and formulating strategies for the bioremediation of soils contaminated with insecticides like imidacloprid.

Novel hydrophilic straw biochar for the adsorption of neonicotinoids: kinetics, thermodynamics, influencing factors, and reuse performance

Nitenpyram (NIT) is the most water-soluble neonicotinoid (NEO). It has been shown to pose a serious threat to human health and the environment but was always ignored due to its limited market share. There were few experts who studied NIT's transport behavior on biochar. In this study, two types of biochar were co-activated separately using zinc chloride combined with phosphoric acid and potassium hydroxide combined with acetic acid, marked as ZBC and KBC. Characterizations suggested that hydrophilic ZBC and KBC had more surface functional groups than unmodified biochar (BC), and specific surface areas of ZBC (456.406 m²·g^-1) and KBC (750.588 m²·g^-1) were significantly higher than of BC (67.181 m²·g^-1). The pore structures of KBC and ZBC were hierarchical porous structures with different pore sizes and typical microporous structure, respectively. The adsorption performance of either NIT or IMI on KBC was better than that on ZBC. Only 0.4 g·L^-1 of KBC can absorb 89.62% of NIT in just 5 min. The equilibrium adsorption amounts of NIT on ZBC and KBC were 17.995 mg·g^-1 and 82.910 mg·g^-1. Elovich and Langmuir models were used to evaluate the whole adsorption process, which was attributed to the chemisorption mechanism. In addition, removal rates of NIT were negatively correlated to NIT's initial concentration and positively correlated to the dose of biochar. pH had almost no effect on adsorption, but the presence of salt ions can inhibit the removal of NIT. Long-term stabilities of biochars were also acceptable. These findings will promote the development in the preparation of biochar fields and provide a positive reference value for NEO removal.

Amino-functionalization of lignocellulosic biopolymer to be used as a green and sustainable adsorbent for anionic contaminant removal

In this work, natural biopolymer stemming from lignocellulosic peanut hull biomass was used as a green and low-cost adsorbent to eliminate anionic Congo red (CR) and Cr(VI) ions from aqueous sample. In order to enhance the removal performance, the lignocellulosic biopolymer was subjected to amino-modification by the graft copolymerization of (3-acrylamidopropyl) trimethylammonium chloride and N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide. The property of the prepared amino-functionalized biopolymer (AFB) was examined through FTIR, TG, SEM, particle size analysis, zeta potential determination and XPS. The adsorption efficacy of AFB for CR and Cr(VI) was tested at different pH, contact time and initial concentration. The kinetic, isotherm and thermodynamics investigations revealed that the uptakes of CR and Cr(VI) were the combination processes of chemical and physical interactions, and both endothermic in nature. The AFB exhibited good reusability without significant loss in adsorption capacity after five consecutive cycles. Mechanistic analysis indicated that the quaternary ammonium groups in AFB contributed a lot to the binding of anionic compounds through electrostatic attraction. In addition, n-π and hydrogen bonding while reduction and coordination were also responsible for the removal of CR and Cr(VI), respectively. The present study provides a favorable strategy for the removal of anionic contaminates in water by using green and sustainable lignocellulosic wastes.

Iron-modified biochar derived from sugarcane bagasse for adequate removal of aqueous imidacloprid: sorption mechanism study

Adsorption has been considered as a promising remediation technology to separate organic and inorganic agrochemicals from contaminated soil and water. Low-cost adsorbents, including waste derived materials, clay composites, biochar, and biochar modified materials, have attracted enormous attention for the removal of organic contaminants, including pesticides. In this study, iron-modified base-activated biochar (FeBBC) was prepared by pyrolysis (at 400 °C for 1 h) of iron-doped base (KOH) activated sugarcane bagasse for the removal of a widely used insecticide, namely imidacloprid (IMI) from water. The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent (FeBBC) was calculated as 10.33 (± 1.57) mg/g from Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorbents could remove up to ~ 92% of IMI from aqueous solution at 23.8 mg/L IMI. Experimental data fitted well with the Freundlich model and pseudo-second-order model, demonstrating physisorption, as well as chemosorption, contributed to the sorption process. Even at highly acidic/basic solution pH, the FeBBC could remove substantial amount of IMI demonstrating hydrophobic interaction and pore diffusion play vital role for removal of IMI. The slight improving of IMI sorption with increasing solution pH indicated the sorption was also facilitated through ionic interaction alongside physical sorption. However, physical sorption including hydrophobic interaction and pore-filling interaction plays a vital role in the sorption of IMI.

Resource utilization of chicken manure to produce biochar for effective removal of levofloxacin hydrochloride through peroxymonosulfate activation: The synergetic function of graphitization and nitrogen functionality

Transforming hazardous livestock manure into biochar as an advanced oxidation processes catalyst is a two-in-one strategy to treat waste by waste. In this work, a self-modified biochar catalyst obtained from chicken manure is developed for peroxymonosulfate activation to degrade levofloxacin hydrochloride. The deterioration rate of levofloxacin hydrochloride reached 89% in 40 min, after three cycles of the catalyst, the LFX still maintained 52% degradation rate. And under low levofloxacin hydrochloride concentration, the degradation rate can reach 99% within 40 min. Apart from catalyst characterization and optimization, the effects of catalyst, peroxymonosulfate, levofloxacin hydrochloride, co-existing anions, and natural organic matter concentrations during the reaction are investigated. Additionally, the quenching experiments and electron spin resonance spectroscopy both reveal the reaction mechanism. As the graphitic nitrogen combined with the sp²-hybridized carbon in biochar was highly electronegative, thus appealing electrons from neighboring carbon networks, making the adjoining carbon atoms to be positively charged, which facilitated the degradation process. The oxidative degradation of levofloxacin hydrochloride was ascribed to non-radical routes including surface-bound radicals, h⁺ and ¹O₂ mediated oxidation, the contribution rates were 91%, 93.5%, and 96.8%, respectively. Moreover, possible degradation pathways of levofloxacin hydrochloride are studied by Density Functional Theory (DFT) and LC-MS analysis. This work provides a novel method to produce chicken manure biochar by self-modified chicken manure during biochar pyrolysis for peroxymonosulfate activation in organic contaminations abatement and reveals the combined effect of graphitization and nitrogen functionalization while providing new ideas for the resource utilization of chicken manure.

Ultrasonic Activated Biochar and Its Removal of Harmful Substances in Environment

Biochar has been widely used in the fields of environment and energy, and green preparation can make biochar-based materials more environmentally friendly. Particularly, in the low-temperature pyrolysis of biochar, labile C with low biological toxicity is the main influencing factor of bacteria in soil. Therefore, it is worth studying to develop the fabrication technology of low-temperature pyrolysis biochar with rich pore structure. The mechanical effect of ultrasonic cavitation is considered to be an effective strategy for the preparation of biochar. However, the sonochemical effects on biochar remain to be studied. In this review, ultrasonic modification and ultrasonic-chemical modification on biochar has been reviewed. Metal oxide/biochar composites can also be obtained by an ultrasonic-chemical method. It is worth mentioning that there have been some reports on the regeneration of biochar by ultrasound. In addition to ultrasonic preparation of biochar, ultrasound can also trigger the sonocatalytic performance and promote the adsorption ability of biochar for the removal of harmful substances. The catalytic mechanism of ultrasound/biochar needs to be further investigated. For application, biochar prepared by ultrasound has been used for the removal of heavy metals in water, the adsorption of carbon dioxide, and soil remediation.

Applications of functionalized magnetic biochar in environmental remediation: A review

Magnetic biochar (MBC) is extensively applied on contaminants removal from environmental medium for achieving environmental-friendly remediation with reduction of secondary pollution owing to its easy recovery and separation. However, the summary of MBC synthesis methods is still lack of relevant information. Moreover, the adsorption performance for pollutants by MBC is limited, and thus it is imperative to adopt modification techniques to enhance the removal ability of MBC. Unfortunately, there are few reviews to present modification methods of MBC with applications for removing hazardous contaminants. Herein, we critically reviewed (i) MBC synthetic methods with corresponding advantages and limitations; (ii) adsorption mechanisms of MBC for heavy metals and organic pollutants; (iii) various modification methods for MBC such as functional groups grafting, nanoparticles loading and element doping; (iv) applications of modified MBC for hazardous contaminants adsorption with deep insight to relevant removal mechanisms; and (v) key influencing conditions like solution pH, temperature and interfering ions toward contaminants removal. Finally, some constructive suggestions were put forward for the practical applications of MBC in the near future. This review provided a comprehensive understanding of using functionalized MBC as effective adsorbent with low-cost and high-performance characteristics for contaminated environment remediation.

High Performance of Ionic-Liquid-Based Materials to Remove Insecticides

Neonicotinoids are systemic insecticides commonly used for pest control in agriculture and veterinary applications. Due to their widespread use, neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics) are found in different environmental compartments, including water, soils, and biota, in which their high toxicity towards non-target organisms is a matter of great concern. Given their widespread use and high toxicity, the development of strategies to remove neonics, while avoiding further environmental contamination is of high priority. In this work, ionic-liquid-based materials, comprising silica modified with tetraalkylammonium cations and the chloride anion, were explored as alternative adsorbent materials to remove four neonics insecticides, namely imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam, from aqueous media. These materials or supported ionic liquids (SILs) were first synthesized and chemically characterized and further applied in adsorption studies. It was found that the equilibrium concentration of the adsorbate in the solid phase decreases with the decrease in the SIL cation alkyl chain length, reinforcing the relevance of hydrophobic interactions between ionic liquids (ILs) and insecticides. The best-identified SIL for the adsorption of the studied insecticides corresponds to silica modified with propyltrioctylammonium chloride ([Si][N3888]Cl). The saturation of SILs was reached in 5 min or less, showing their fast adsorption rate towards all insecticides, in contrast with activated carbon (benchmark) that requires 40 to 60 min. The best fitting of the experimental kinetic data was achieved with the Pseudo Second-Order model, meaning that the adsorption process is controlled at the solid-liquid interface. On the other hand, the best fitting of the experimental isotherm data is given by the Freundlich isotherm model, revealing that multiple layers of insecticides onto the SIL surface may occur. The continuous removal efficiency of the best SIL ([Si][N3888]Cl) by solid-phase extraction was finally appraised, with the maximum adsorption capacity decreasing in the following sequence: imidacloprid > thiacloprid > thiamethoxam > acetamiprid. Based on real reported values, under ideal conditions, 1 g of [Si][N3888]Cl is able to treat at least 106 m3 of wastewater and water from wetland contaminated with the studied neonics. In summary, the enhanced adsorption capacity of SILs for a broad diversity of neonics was demonstrated, reinforcing the usefulness of these materials for their removal from aqueous matrices and thus contributing to preventing their introduction into the ecosystems and reducing their detrimental effects in the environment and human health.

An efficient, green and sustainable potassium hydroxide activated magnetic corn cob biochar for imidacloprid removal

The extensive use of imidacloprid (IMI) has led to its being frequently detected in natural water, also caused the potential damage to the ecosystem. Development of efficient, green and sustainable technique is demanded to eliminate this problem. A novel biochar (KMCBC) derived from agriculture waste of corn cob was first time co-modified by potassium hydroxide (KOH), ferric chloride (FeCl₃) and zinc chloride (ZnCl₂), which showed the greater adsorption amount (410 mg g^-1 at 298 K) for imidacloprid (IMI). Pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models fitted well with the experimental data, together with the physicochemical characterization analysis, demonstrating that the adsorption process of IMI by KMCBC might be mainly controlled by micropore filling, π-π electron donor-acceptor and functional groups interactions (H-bonding and complexation). Additionally, the thermodynamics parameters suggested that IMI adsorption in this study was a spontaneous, endothermic and randomly increasing process. Besides, KMCBC owned the easy separation performance and promising environmental safety, also exhibited a high selective adsorption capacity regardless of solution pH (its optimum adsorption performance for IMI was obtained at pH = 5), inorganic ions strength and humic acid (HA) concentrations. The regenerated KMCBC (synergistic ultrasound/ethanol) could sustainably and efficiently adsorb IMI in the reuse cycles. Therefore, this study provided an efficient, green and sustainable adsorbent of KMCBC for IMI removal.

Cu-Doped magnetic loofah biochar for tetracycline degradation via peroxymonosulfate activation

The Cu-doped deactivated magnetic biochar exhibited high PMS activation to degrade TC with a high removal rate of 97.6%.