Fabrication, characterization and U(VI) sorption properties of a novel biochar derived from Tribulus terrestris via two different approaches.

Waqas Ahmed, Sajid Mehmood, Avelino Núñez-Delgado, Muhammad Qaswar, Sehrish Ali, Huang Ying, Zequan Liu, Mohsin Mahmood, Di-Yun Chen

Journal: The Science of the total environment 2021;780():146617

PMID: 34030312

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Water contamination due to radionuclides is considered a crucial environmental issue. In this study, Tribulus terrestris plant biomass was used as a precursor for obtaining biochar (BC), that was further modified by two different methods using FeCl to obtain two different magnetic biochars. Both (one-step biochar, called 1S-BC, and two-steps biochar, called 2S-BC) were studied to investigate their capability for adsorbing/removing uranium (VI) from aqueous solutions. The U(VI) removal efficacy of both biochars was tested for different values of pH, ionic strength, initial concentration of U(VI) and temperature. Experimental adsorption data fitted well to the Freundlich model (achieving as highest value for adsorption capacity K = 49.56 mg g (mg L), R = 0.99). Thermodynamic studies revealed that adsorption was endothermic, characterized by inner-sphere complexation, and entropy-driven with a relatively increased randomness in the solid-solution interface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that U(VI) sorption took place by surface complexation between U(VI) and oxygen containing functional groups on both biochars. Five consecutive regeneration cycles verified an excellent reusability for 1S-BC. The overall results allow to conclude that the FeCl modification of the biochar obtained from Tribulus terrestris plant biomass could give an efficient alternative adsorbent for U(VI) removal in a variety of environmental conditions, promoting protection of the environment and human health, as well as facilitating resource utilization and sustainable management of the materials studied.

Address: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.; Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Engineering Polytechnic School, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain.; Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.; National Engineering Laboratory for Improving Quality of Arable Land, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry (A & F) University, Yangling 712100, China.; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146617

Link outs

Free resources

Other Literature Sources:

https://scite.ai/reports/34030312

Subscription / membership required

Full Text Sources:

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048...

MeSH Terms: Adsorption, Charcoal, Humans, Kinetics, Tribulus, Uranium, Water Pollutants, Chemical