Preparation of magnetic porous carbon from waste hydrochar by simultaneous activation and magnetization for tetracycline removal

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 154; pp. 209 - 214
• Main Authors: Zhu, Xiangdong, Liu, Yuchen, Qian, Feng, Zhou, Chao, Zhang, Shicheng, Chen, Jianmin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adsorption; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon - chemistry; Charcoal - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrochar; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Maghemite; Magnetic; Magnetics - methods; Pollution; Porosity; Removal; Solutions; Temperature; Tetracycline; Tetracycline - isolation & purification; Wastes; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Removal; Hydrochar; Magnetic; Maghemite; Tetracycline; Activation; Wastes; Porosity; Carbon
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.12.019

•A novel magnetic porous carbon with γ-Fe2O3 particles was prepared from hydrochar.•Activation and magnetization of hydrochar can be simultaneously obtained.•The as-prepared magnetic porous carbon could remove tetracycline efficiently. In the present work, a novel magnetic porous carbon (MPC) with maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) particles is facilely prepared from hydrochar (a solid residue of hydrothermal carbonization of biomass) in one step through simultaneous activation and magnetization. The resultant MPC is characterized and utilized as an adsorbent for tetracycline (TC) removal from aqueous solutions. The BET surface area and micropore volume of the MPC are found to be 349m2g−1 and 0.16cm3g−1, respectively. The adsorption kinetics data could be well described by the pseudo-second-order model, and the TC adsorption onto MPC is an endothermic and spontaneous process. The enhanced surface area of the MPC, as well as its graphite-like structure, may contribute to the adsorption capacity of TC. After adsorption, MPC could be effectively separated by applying a magnetic field.