Removal of trace Cr(VI) from water using chitosan-iron nanowires in porous anodic alumina

Chitosan-iron nanowires in porous anodic alumina (PAA) have been successfully prepared under ambient conditions as an adsorbent. The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and N₂-BET surface area. The results showed that PAA can disperse and protect Fe⁰ nanorods from oxidation. The adsorption characteristics of trace Cr(VI) onto adsorbent have been examined at different initial Cr(VI) concentrations with pH 5. Batch adsorption studies show that the removal percentage of adsorbent for the removal of trace Cr(VI) is strongly dependent on the initial Cr(VI) concentrations. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were used to analyze the experiment data. The adsorption of trace Cr(VI) by adsorbent is well modeled by the Langmuir isotherm and the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) is calculated as 123.95 mg/g which is very closed to the experiment results. Intraparticle diffusion study shows that the intraparticle diffusion of adsorbent is not the sole rate-controlling step. The negative value of Gibbs free energy change, ΔG^o, indicated that the process of Cr(VI) onto adsorbent was spontaneous. This work has demonstrated that chitosan-iron nanowires in porous anodic alumina as an adsorbent has promising potential for heavy metal removal at trace level.     

Adsorption of Chromium (VI) on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azadirachta Indica</Emphasis> (Neem) Leaf Powder

A novel adsorbent was developed from mature leaves of the Neem tree (Azadirachta Indica) for removing metal ions from water. The adsorbent, in the form of fine powder, was found to be very effective in removing chromium (VI) from aqueous solution. The adsorption was carried out in a batch process taking different concentrations of the metal ion in aqueous solution with variation in adsorbent amount, pH, agitation time and temperature. The suitability of the adsorbent was tested with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and with various equilibrium kinetic data. A small amount of the Neem Leaf Powder (NLP) (1.6 g dm^–3) could remove as much as 87% of Cr (VI) in 300 min from a solution of concentration 14.1 mg dm^–3 at 300 K. The optimum range of pH for the adsorption process was 4.5–7.5 and since the natural pH of the Cr (VI) solution was 5.5, no addition of acid or alkali was necessary for achieving maximum adsorption. The adsorption coefficients indicated a high potentiality for the NLP to be used as an adsorbent for removing Cr (VI) from water.     

Efficiency of a novel nitrogen-doped Fe3O4 impregnated biochar (N/Fe3O4@BC) for arsenic (III and V) removal from aqueous solution: Insight into mechanistic understanding and reusability potential

Worldwide, arsenic contamination has become a matter of extreme importance owing to its potential toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic impact on human health and the environment. The magnetite-loaded biochar has received increasing attention for the removal of arsenic (As) in contaminated water and soil. The present study reports a facile synthesis, characterization and adsorption characteristics of a novel magnetite impregnated nitrogen-doped hybrid biochar (N/Fe₃O₄@BC) for efficient arsenate, As(V) and arsenite, As(III) removal from aqueous environment. The as-synthesized material (N/Fe₃O₄@BC) characterization via XRD, BET, FTIR, SEM/EDS clearly revealed magnetite (Fe₃O₄) impregnation onto biochar matrix. Furthermore, the adsorbent (N/Fe₃O₄@BC) selectivity results showed that such a combination plays an important role in targeted molecule removal from aqueous environments and compensates for the reduced surface area. The maximum monolayer adsorption (Q_max) of developed adsorbent (N/Fe₃O₄@BC) (18.15 mg/g and 9.87 mg/g) was significantly higher than that of pristine biochar (BC) (9.89 & 8.12 mg/g) and magnetite nano-particles (MNPs) [7.38 & 8.56 mg/g] for both As(III) and As(V), respectively. Isotherm and kinetic data were well fitted by Langmuir (R² = 0.993) and Pseudo first order model (R² = 0.992) thereby indicating physico-chemical sorption as a rate-limiting step. The co-anions (PO₄^3-) effect was more significant for both As(III) and As (V) removal owing to similar outer electronic structure. Mechanistic insights (pH and FTIR spectra) further demonstrated the remarkable contribution of surface groups (OH^–, –NH₂ and –COOH), electrostatic attraction (via H- bonds), surface complexation and ion exchange followed by external mass transfer diffusion and As(III) oxidation into As(V) by (N/Fe₃O₄@BC) reactive oxygen species. Moreover, successful desorption was achieved at varying rates up to 7th regeneration cycle thereby showing (N/Fe₃O₄@BC) potential practical application. Thus, this work provides a novel insight for the fabrication of novel magnetic biochar for As removal from contaminated water in natural, engineering and environmental settings.     

Removal of chromium(VI) from wastewater using Sorel's cement

Summary Synthetic Sorel's cement [3Mg(OH)₂ ^. MgCl₂ ^. 8H₂O], is used as a new adsorbent material for removal of chromium(VI) ion from wastewater effluents. Parameters including contact time, adsorbent dosage and pH are examined and optimized. The equilibrium data are fitted very well to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms rather than linear. The adsorption isotherm indicates that the monolayer coverage is 21.4 mg Cr(VI) ion per g of Sorel's cement. The adsorbent is considered as a better replacement technology for removal of Cr(VI) ion from aqueous solutions due to its low cost, good efficiency, fast kinetics, and simple preparation. It offers remarkable efficiency for Cr(VI) removal from wastewater compared with many other natural and synthetic adsorbents.     

Polyethyleneimine/activated carbon paper-based material for low-concentration hexavalent chromium removal

Activated carbon paper-based materials were prepared from softwood pulp, activated carbon powder, and polyester fiber through wet forming process. Then polyethyleneimine was loaded on the activated carbon paper-based materials using physical impregnation method to fabricate green, low cost, and degradable PEI/activated carbon composite paper-based adsorbent materials (PPCA) for the removal of Cr(VI) from drinking water. The surface characteristics of the adsorbent were analyzed by SEM, EDX, BET, FT-IR, and XPS. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) could reach up to 1.58 mg g^?1 when the PEI immersion concentration is 1%, the contact time is 180 min, the temperature is 30 °C and pH?=?2. The adsorption of Cr(VI) on PPCA conformed to both the freundlich isotherm model and the quasi-second-order kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption was multi-molecular layer adsorption controlled by chemical reaction process. The adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) on PPCA included electrostatic attraction, redox and chelation. Overall, this study provides a green, large-scalable production way for the preparation of biodegradable adsorption materials for the efficient removal of Cr(VI) from drinking water aiding the safe management of aqueous system.

Graphical abstract

     

Utilization of industrial waste as a novel adsorbent: Mono/competitive adsorption of chromium(VI) and nickel(II) using diatomite waste modified by EDTA

The adsorption of Cr(VI) and Ni(II) using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid‐modified diatomite waste (EDTA‐DW) as an adsorbent in single and binary systems was investigated. The EDTA‐DW was characterized using various analytical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller measurements, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive spectrometry. The adsorption experiment was conducted by varying pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration and temperature. In the single system, the sorption data for Cr(VI) fitted the Langmuir isotherm, but the Ni(II) adsorption data fitted well the Freundlich isotherm. The maximum sorption capacity of Cr(VI) and Ni(II) was 2.9 mg g^?1 at pH = 3 and 3.64 mg g^?1 at pH = 8, respectively. The kinetic data for both Cr(VI) and Ni(II) followed well the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model in single and binary systems. Meanwhile, the extended Langmuir and extended Freundlich multicomponent isotherm models were found to fit the competitive adsorption data for Cr(VI) and Ni(II). In addition, in the binary system, the existence of Ni(II) hindered the adsorption of Cr(VI), but the presence of Cr(VI) enhanced the removal of Ni(II). This study provides some realistic and valid data about the usage of modified diatomite waste for the removal of metal ions.     

Preparation of carbon coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles for magnetic separation of uranium

Uranium(VI) was removed from aqueous solutions using carbon coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@C). Batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of initial pH, shaking time and temperature on uranium sorption efficiency. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacity of the Fe₃O₄@C toward uranium(VI) was ∼120.20 mg g⁻¹ when the initial uranium(VI) concentration was 100 mg L⁻¹, displaying a high efficiency for the removal of uranium(VI) ions. Kinetics of the uranium(VI) removal is found to follow pseudo-second-order rate equation. In addition, the uranium(VI)-loaded Fe₃O₄@C nanoparticles can be recovered easily from aqueous solution by magnetic separation and regenerated by acid treatment. Present study suggested that magnetic Fe₃O₄@C composite particles can be used as an effective and recyclable adsorbent for the removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solutions.     

Adsorption of Cr(VI) using activated neem leaves: kinetic studies

In the present study, adsorbent is prepared from neem leaves and used for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions. Neem leaves are activated by giving heat treatment and with the use of concentrated hydrochloric acid (36.5 wt%). The activated neem leaves are further treated with 100 mmol of copper solution. Batch adsorption studies demonstrate that the adsorbent prepared from neem leaves has a significant capacity for adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The parameters investigated in this study include pH, contact time, initial Cr(VI) concentration and adsorbent dosage. The adsorption of Cr(VI) is found to be maximum (99%) at low values of pH in the range of 1-3. A small amount of the neem leaves adsorbent (10 g/l) could remove as much as 99% of Cr(VI) from a solution of initial concentration 50 mg/l. The adsorption process of Cr(VI) is tested with Langmuir isotherm model. Application of the Langmuir isotherm to the system yielded maximum adsorption capacity of 62.97 mg/g. The dimensionless equilibrium parameter, R _L, signifies a favorable adsorption of Cr(VI) on neem leaves adsorbent and is found to be between 0.0155 and 0.888 (0<R _L<1). The adsorption process follows second order kinetics and the corresponding rate constant is found to be 0.00137 g/(mg) (min).     

Amin-functionalized magnetic-silica core-shell nanoparticles for removal of Hg2+ from aqueous solution

Magnetic nanoparticles with monodisperse shape and size were prepared by a simple method and covered by silica. The prepared core-shell Fe₃O₄@silica nanoparticles were functionalized by amino groups and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The synthesized nanoparticles were employed as an adsorbent for removal of Hg²⁺ from aqueous solutions, and the adsorption phenomena were studied from both equilibrium and kinetic point of views. The adsorption equilibriums were analyzed using different isotherm models and correlation coefficients were determined for each isotherm. The experimental data were fitted to the Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm better than other isotherms. The adsorption kinetics was tested for the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and Elovich kinetic models at different initial concentrations of the adsorbate. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model describes the kinetics of the adsorption process for amino functionalized adsorbents. The maximum adsorption occurred at pH 5.7 and the adsorption capacity for Fe₃O₄@silica-NH₂ toward Hg²⁺ was as high as 126.7 mg/g which was near four times more than unmodified silica adsorbent.     

The kinetic and thermodynamic study of the removal of Cr(VI) ion from aqueous solution by human hair waste

The removal of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution by human hair waste is investigated by using UV–Vis spectrophotometer technique. The morphological analysis of the human hair was also investigated by the scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The influence of various physicochemical effective parameters such as pH, ionic strength, adsorbent amount, contact time, initial concentration of metal ion on removal of Cr(VI) ions by human hair process was also studied. The optimum conditions for this adsorption process were obtained at pH = 2 and contact time of 150 min while the highest Cr(VI) uptake is recorded for 0.5 g of the adsorbent per 100 ml of solution. Three isotherms models including Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin were applied to describe the equilibrium data. It was found that the experimental data were well described by Freundlich isothermal model. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 11.64 mg g^?1.The thermodynamic study data showed that the adsorption process of Cr(VI) on human hair is an endothermic, spontaneous and physisorption reaction. The kinetics of the adsorption process was studied using three kinetics models including Lagergren-first-order, pseudo-second-order and Elovich model. The obtained data are indicated that the adsorption processes of Cr(VI) over human hair could be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.     

Preparation of FeS/iron oxide composite and flax stem‐based porous carbon and its Cr(VI) removal ability

Using flax stem and ferrous sulfate, a composite porous carbon material was prepared by means of high‐temperature roasting and a one‐step process in a muffle furnace. The samples were characterized using X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the effects of ferrous sulfate concentration, carbonization temperature, and pH values of Cr(VI) aqueous solution on the removal performance of Cr(VI) were studied. XRD and SEM analysis showed that the prepared samples were amorphous porous carbon loaded with FeS/Fe₂O₃/Fe₃O₄. High FeSO₄ impregnation concentration, high carbonization temperature, and a low pH value of Cr(VI) aqueous solution were beneficial for Cr(VI) removal. When pH = 2, the amount of Cr(VI) removal was 99.93 mg/g by the sample obtained from 1 g flax powder impregnated in 4.5 mmol FeSO₄/40 mL H₂O solution and calcined for 2 hr at 800°C.     

On the use of a natural peat for the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions

A natural peat has been used as an adsorbent for the removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution. The peat was firstly characterized in terms of particle size and chemical composition (ash content, pH of the point of zero charge, FT-IR and thermal analysis). Next, the kinetic and equilibrium aspects of the adsorption of Cr(VI) by this adsorbent were studied. The kinetic data were satisfactorily fitted to a kinetic law of partial order in C equal to one. The specific adsorption rates are around 10(-4)s(-1), increasing as temperature does. A noticeable influence of diffusion on the global adsorption process has been demonstrated. Finally, the equilibrium isotherms were satisfactorily fitted to a previously proposed model. The adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was similar to some other previously reported and the affinity of Cr(VI) towards the active sites of the adsorbent increases as temperature rises.     

Adsorption of metal anions of vanadium(V) and chromium(VI) on Zr(IV)-impregnated collagen fiber

The metal anions of vanadium (V) and chromium (VI) in aqueous solution can be effectively adsorbed by Zr(IV)-impregnated collagen fiber (ZrICF). The maximum adsorption capacity of V(V) takes place within the pH range of 5.0 to 8.0, while that of Cr(VI) is within the pH range of 6.0 to 9.0. When the initial concentration of metal ions was 2.00 mmol L⁻¹ and the temperature was 303 K, the adsorption capacity of V(V) on Zr-ICF was 1.92 mmol g⁻¹ at pH 5.0, and the adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was 0.53 mmol g⁻¹ at pH 7.0. As temperature increased, the adsorption capacity of V(V) increased, while that of Cr(VI) was almost unchanged. The adsorption isotherms of the anionic species of V(V) and Cr(VI) can be fit by the Langmuir equation. The adsorption rate of V(V) follows the pseudo-first-order rate model, while the adsorption rate of Cr(VI) follows the pseudo-second-order rate model. Furthermore, ZrICF shows high adsorption selectivity to V(V) in the mixture solution of V(V) and Cr(VI). Practical applications of ZrICF could be expected in consideration of its performance in adsorption of V(V) and Cr(VI).     

Sustainable Chromium (VI) Removal from Contaminated Groundwater Using Nano-Magnetite-Modified Biochar via Rapid Microwave Synthesis

This study developed a nano-magnetite-modified biochar material (m-biochar) using a simple and rapid in situ synthesis method via microwave treatment, and systematically investigated the removal capability and mechanism of chromium (VI) by this m-biochar from contaminated groundwater. The m-biochar was fabricated from reed residues and magnetically modified by nano-Fe₃O₄. The results from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterisations confirmed the successful doping of nano-Fe₃O₄ on the biochar with an improved porous structure. The synthesised m-biochar exhibited significantly higher maximum adsorption capacity of 9.92 mg/g compared with that (8.03 mg/g) of the pristine biochar. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model and the intraparticle diffusion model, which indicated that the overall adsorption rate of Cr(VI) was governed by the processes of chemical adsorption, liquid film diffusion and intramolecular diffusion. The increasing of the pH from 3 to 11 significantly affected the Cr(VI) adsorption, where the capabilities decreased from 9.92 mg/g to 0.435 mg/g and 8.03 mg/g to 0.095 mg/g for the m-biochar and pristine biochar, respectively. Moreover, the adsorption mechanisms of Cr(VI) by m-biochar were evaluated and confirmed to include the pathways of electrostatic adsorption, reduction and complexation. This study highlighted an effective synthesis method to prepare a superior Cr(VI) adsorbent, which could contribute to the effective remediation of heavy metal contaminations in the groundwater.     

Preparation of Bamboo-Based Hierarchical Porous Carbon Modulated by FeCl3 towards Efficient Copper Adsorption

Using bamboo powder biochar as raw material, high-quality meso/microporous controlled hierarchical porous carbon was prepared—through the catalysis of Fe³⁺ ions loading, in addition to a chemical activation method—and then used to adsorb copper ions in an aqueous solution. The preparation process mainly included two steps: load-alkali leaching and chemical activation. The porosity characteristics (specific surface area and mesopore ratio) were controlled by changing the K₂CO₃ impregnation ratio, activation temperature, and Fe³⁺ ions loading during the activation process. Additionally, three FBPC samples with different pore structures and characteristics were studied for copper adsorption. The results indicate that the adsorption performance of the bamboo powder biochar FBPC material was greatly affected by the meso/micropore ratio. FBPC _2.5-900-2%, impregnated at a K₂CO₃: biochar ratio of 2.5 and a Fe³⁺: biochar mass ratio of 2%, and activated at 900 °C for 2 h in N₂ atmosphere, has a very high specific surface area of 1996 m² g⁻¹ with a 58.1% mesoporous ratio. Moreover, it exhibits an excellent adsorption capacity of 256 mg g⁻¹ and rapid adsorption kinetics for copper ions. The experimental results show that it is feasible to control the hierarchical pore structure of bamboo biochar-derived carbons as a high-performance adsorbent to remove copper ions from water.     

Adsorption of fluoride on synthetic siderite from aqueous solution

The study has investigated the feasibility of using synthetic siderite for F⁻ removal from aqueous solution. Batch experiments were performed to test effects of adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial F⁻ concentration, temperature, solution pH, and coexisting anions on F⁻ removal. Results show that the kinetic rate of F⁻ adsorption was high in the first 2 h, and thereafter significantly decreased. The kinetic data was better fitted to the pseudo-second order kinetic model than the pseudo-first order kinetic model. In comparison with Langmuir isotherm, both Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson isotherms better described the adsorption process, which indicates that the multilayer adsorption should be involved in the process of F⁻ removal. Thermodynamic study manifests that F⁻ adsorption on synthetic siderite was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The synthetic siderite had high adsorption capacity for F⁻ removal, which was up to 1.775 mg/g in the batch with an adsorbent dosage of 5 g/L and an initial F⁻ concentration of 20 mg/L at 25 °C. The adsorption was relatively independent on solution pH between 4 and 9. The presence of Cl⁻ and NO₃⁻ had less impact on F⁻ adsorption, while PO₄³⁻ significantly affected F⁻ removal from aqueous solution. Results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) suggest that the high adsorption capacity possibly arose from both coprecipitation of ferric hydroxide with F⁻ and adsorption of F⁻ on the fresh goethite.     

Removal and recovery of uranium from aqueous solution by tea waste

Experiments on the removal and recovery of U(VI) from aqueous solution by tea waste were conducted. The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer before and after the adsorption treatment. The removal of U(VI) amounts to 86.80?% at optimum pH 6. The adsorption process reaches its equilibrium in 12?h at 308?K, and the kinetic characteristic can be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation. The amount of adsorption increases from 22.92 to 142.21?mg?g^?1 with the decrease of tea waste dosage from 100 to 10?mg for solution with an initial uranium concentration of 50?mg?L^?1. Desorption for the four strippants is higher than 80?%. The equilibrium data are more agreeable with Freundlich isotherm than Langmuir isotherm.     

Removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution using magnetic biochar synthesized by a single step method

Magnetic biochar, as an adsorbent, was synthesized by a single step method, where iron salt was directly mixed with pinewood sawdust by chemical co-precipitation and subsequently pyrolyzed at 700°C for Cr (VI) removal from aqueous solution. The effects of some important parameters including adsorbent dosage (0.4–2.8?g/L), pH (1–10) of the solution, contact time (0–1440 minutes), initial concentration (30–120?mg/L), and temperature (20–40°C) were investigated in batch experiments. Both pre- and post-adsorbents were characterized by SEM-EDX and XPS to investigate the adsorption mechanism. The maximum adsorption capacity of the tested magnetic biochar under the certain experimental conditions determined as optimal was 42.7?mg/g for Cr (VI). The adsorption data were proved to be suitable for the pseudo-second order model for kinetics and the Langmuir model for isotherms with correlation R²?=?0.9996 andR²?>?0.9980, respectively, after fitting with four kinetic models (pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, W-M model, and Elovich) and three isotherm models (Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin). The characteristic analyses further verified that the efficient particle was a mixture of iron oxides in essence, and it had a strong effect on the spontaneous and endothermic adsorption process.     

Removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions by the nonliving biomass of Alligator weed: kinetics and equilibrium

The removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions using Alligator weed, a freshwater macrophyte, was investigated in batch studies. Various factors including solution pH, Cr (VI) concentrations, agitation time, and temperature were taken into account and promising results obtained. An initial solution pH of 1.0 was most favorable for Cr (VI) removal. The kinetic data were analyzed using several models, including the pseudo-second-order equation, external diffusion model, and intraparticle diffusion model. The comparison gave insight about the mechanism of adsorption and potential rate controlling step. The results suggested that the Cr (VI) adsorption at all temperatures was best represented by the pseudo-second-order equation. The external film diffusion played an important role in the adsorption mechanism. The Freundlich, Langmuir and Langmuir-Freundlich isotherms for the present system were analyzed. The best interpretation for the equilibrium data at different temperatures was given by the Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm. The Alligator weed could serve as low-cost adsorbent to remove Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions.