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Selective adsorption of Cr(VI) by nitrogen-doped hydrothermal carbon in binary system

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Abstract

Selective adsorption of heavy metal ions from industrial effluent is important for healthy ecosystem development. However, the selective adsorption of heavy metal pollutants by biochar using lignin as raw material is still a challenge. In this paper, the lignin carbon material (N-BLC) was synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal carbonization method using paper black liquor (BL) as raw material and triethylene diamine (TEDA) as nitrogen source. N-BLC (2:1) showed excellent selectivity for Cr(VI) in the binary system, and the adsorption amounts of Cr(VI) in the binary system were all greater than 150 mg/g, but the adsorption amounts of Ca(II), Mg(II), and Zn(II) were only 19.3, 25.5, and 6.3 mg/g, respectively. The separation factor (SF) for Cr(VI) adsorption was as high as 120.0. Meanwhile, FTIR, elemental analysis and XPS proved that the surface of N-BLC (2:1) contained many N– and O– containing groups which were favorable for the removal of Cr(VI). The adsorption of N-BLC (2:1) followed the Langmuir model and its maximum theoretical adsorption amount was 618.4 mg/g. After 5th recycling, the adsorption amount of Cr(VI) by N-BLC (2:1) decreased about 15%, showing a good regeneration ability. Therefore, N-BLC (2:1) is a highly efficient, selective and reusable Cr(VI) adsorbent with wide application prospects.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22078177), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2020MB139), and the Open Research Fund Program of Cultivation Project of Double First-Class Disciplines of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU) (ESE2022YB04).

Funding

Open Research Fund Program of Cultivation Project of Double First-Class Disciplines of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology & Business University (BTBU), ESE2022TB04,Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, ZR2020MB139, National Natural Science Foundation of China,22078177

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Low Carbon Energy and Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266590, China

    Zuoyu Jia, Fengkai Liang, Haifeng Zhou & Peng Liang

  2. School of Ecology and Environment, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048, China

    Fang Wang

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  1. Zuoyu Jia
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  2. Fengkai Liang
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  3. Fang Wang
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  4. Haifeng Zhou
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  5. Peng Liang
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Contributions

ZJ completed the overall experiment and the first draft of the manuscript; FL completed a part of the experiment; FW provided key ideas for the experiment; HZ provided key ideas for the experiment, completed writing-reviewing and editing of the article, as well as financial support. PL provided key ideas for the experiment and the financial support.

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Correspondence to Fang Wang, Haifeng Zhou or Peng Liang.

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Jia, Z., Liang, F., Wang, F. et al. Selective adsorption of Cr(VI) by nitrogen-doped hydrothermal carbon in binary system. Environ Geochem Health 46, 121 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-024-01889-5

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