Efficient phosphate removal and recovery by using nanosized La(III) oxides anchored on aminated biomass waste

• Published in: Separation and purification technology 2023-01, Vol.305, p.122513, Article 122513
• Main Authors: Nie, Guangze, Liu, Xiangjun, Li, Xiaohan, Meng, Chaoyu, Wang, Weiwei, Zou, Dong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorption; Biomass waste; La(III) oxide; Nanocomposite; Phosphate removal
• ISSN: 1383-5866; 1873-3794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122513

[Display omitted] •An efficient, low-cost adsorbent with high adsorption selectivity for phosphate was fabricated.•Its outstanding adsorption performance attributing to the loaded La(III) oxide nanoparticles.•It could be effectively regenerated for sustainably utilized.•Its potential for practical application was unambiguously confirmed by the fixed-bed tests. Selective adsorption provides a promising solution for removing and recovering phosphate from contaminated waters. However, the development of an efficient, low-cost adsorbent with high adsorption selectivity for phosphate is still an important challenge. Here, a novel nanocomposite (SP-AE-La) was fabricated by anchoring La(III) oxide nanoparticles within a quaternary-aminated biomass waste, i.e., shaddock peel (SP-AE). The batch adsorption experiments suggested that SP-AE-La exhibited a high capacity for phosphate removal through the electrostatic attraction of quaternary ammonium groups and inner-sphere complexation of La(III) oxides; SP-AE-La could effectively and rapidly sequester phosphate over a wide range of pH values (3–10). Moreover, the nanocomposite exhibited significant selectivity for phosphate removal even in the presence of competitive anions (Cl-, SO42-) at high concentrations. The fixed-bed adsorption tests indicated that the treatable volume of the as-prepared nanocomposite was up to 2000 BV when the breakthrough point was set as 0.5 mg/L. Furthermore, the exhausted nanocomposite can be effectively regenerated by NaOH-NaCl solution for recycling use. All the results indicated that SP-AE-La nanocomposite can serve as a promising adsorbent for phosphate removal in a realistic application.