Low-cost magnetic herbal biochar: characterization and application for antibiotic removal

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 24; no. 7; pp. 6679 - 6687
• Main Authors: Kong, Xiangrui, Liu, Yaoxuan, Pi, Jiachang, Li, Wenhong, Liao, QianJiahua, Shang, Jingge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.03.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorbents; Adsorption; Antibiotics; Aquatic Pollution; Arsenic; Astragalus; Astragalus membranaceus - chemistry; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biomass; Charcoal; Charcoal - chemistry; Ciprofloxacin - chemistry; Ciprofloxacin - isolation & purification; Drug dosages; Drug resistance; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Experiments; Fourier transforms; Heavy metals; Herbal medicine; Kinetics; Magnetic Phenomena; Manures; Medical research; Medicine; Membrane separation; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanoparticles; Photoelectron Spectroscopy; Pyrolysis; Research Article; Scanning electron microscopy; Scientific imaging; Solutions; Spectrometry; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Studies; Surface area; Surface Properties; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Water pollution; Water Pollution Control; Water Purification - economics; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment; X-Ray Diffraction; Antibiotic; Magnetic; Adsorption; Biochar; Biomass waste; Wastewater
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-017-8376-z

Magnetic biochar (M-BC) was derived from herbal medicine waste, Astragalus membranaceus residue, and was used as an adsorbent for ciprofloxacin removal from aqueous solutions. The M-BC was characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, hysteresis loops, scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The BET surface area increased from 4.40 to 203.70 m 2 /g after pyrolysis/magnetic modification. Batch experiments were performed at different dosages, initial concentrations, contact times, and solution pHs. Adsorption performances were evaluated using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and the results indicated that the Langmuir model appropriately described the adsorption process. The kinetic data were better fitted by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum ciprofloxacin removal was observed at pH 6 (adsorption capacity of 68.9 ± 3.23 mg/g). Studies demonstrated that magnetically modified biochar might be an attractive, cost-effective, and easily separated adsorbent for contaminated water. Graphical abstract