Bamboo-based magnetic activated carbon for efficient removal of sulfadiazine: Application and adsorption mechanism

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2023-05, Vol.323, p.138245-138245, Article 138245
• Main Authors: Yang, Fan, Jin, Can, Wang, Sen, Wang, Yujie, Wei, Lu, Zheng, Longhui, Gu, Haiping, Lam, Su Shiung, Naushad, Mu, Li, Cheng, Sonne, Christian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Adsorption mechanisms; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Charcoal - chemistry; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Magnetic Phenomena; Magnetic separation; Sulfadiazine; Thermodynamics; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138245

Due to increasing antibiotic pollution in the water environment, green and efficient adsorbents are urgently needed to solve this problem. Here we prepare magnetic bamboo-based activated carbon (MDBAC) through delignification and carbonization using ZnCl2 as activator, resulting in production of an activated carbon with large specific surface area (1388.83 m2 g−1). The influencing factors, such as solution pH, initial sulfadiazine (SD) concentration, temperature, and contact time, were assessed in batch adsorption experiments. The Langmuir isotherm model demonstrated that MDBAC adsorption capacity on SD was 645.08 mg g−1 at its maximum, being higher than majority of previously reported adsorbents. In SD adsorption, the kinetic adsorption process closely followed the pseudo-second kinetic model, and the thermodynamic adsorption process was discovered to be exothermic and spontaneous in nature. The MDBAC exhibited excellent physicochemical stability, facile magnetic recovery and acceptable recyclability properties. Moreover, the synergistic interactions between MDBAC and SD mainly involved electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, and chelation. Within the benefits of low cost, ease of production and excellent adsorption performance, the MDBAC biosorbent shows promising utilization in removing antibiotic contaminants from wastewater. [Display omitted] •We investigate a novel bamboo-based magnetic activated carbon.•The absorbent has high surface area, well-developed pores and is recyclable.•The maximum adsorption capacity on sulfadiazine is 645.08 mg g−1•The adsorption of sulfadiazine is based on single-molecule surface chemisorption.•This is a promising novel cost-effective and environmental-friendly absorbent.