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Biochar from coffee husks: a green electrode modifier for sensitive determination of heavy metal ions

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Abstract

Biochar is a carbon rich and low-cost material that has been used as electrode modifier due to the property of preconcentrate spontaneously both organic and inorganic species. In this work, a biochar from coffee husks is proposed for the first time to prepare a carbon paste modified electrode (BC-CPE), which was used for the simultaneous determination of Cd2+ and Pb2+ by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdsV) as proof-of-concept. Different BC-CPE were prepared, characterized (by EIS, FTIR, SEM and SEM–EDS) and submitted to DPAdsV measurements in the presence of both metal ions. Using the optimized BC-CPE (25 wt% of BC pyrolyzed at 300 °C during 50 min) and optimal pre-concentration conditions (10 min under stirring in a solution at pH 7.0), good linear range and LOD’s better than other BC-CPE from literature (1.7 and 0.2 µg L−1 for Cd2+ and Pb2+, respectively) were obtained, as well as stable responses (RSD < 4.5%; n = 5) and good inter-electrode reproducibility (RSD < 4.4%; n = 5). This optimized method was applied for the simultaneous determination of Pb2+ and Cd2+in water samples, being found good accuracy (recoveries between 81 and 122%). The good analytical features favor the determination of these and other heavy metal ions at trace levels using the proposed BC-CPE, due to the strong ion adsorption on biochar pyrolyzed from coffee processing residues, a novel eco-friendly, sustainable, and renewable biochar source.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to CNPq (Grant Number 420526/2018-8), CAPES and FAPEMIG (process APQ-03000-18) for the financial support and the Multiuser Laboratory of Chemistry Institute at the Federal University of Uberlândia (Brazil) for providing the equipment and technical support for FTIR, SEM and SEM–EDS measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, 38408-100, Brazil

    Maria Zizi Martins Mendonça & Vicelma Luiz Cardoso

  2. Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Monte Carmelo, MG, 38500-000, Brazil

    Fabiano Mendonça de Oliveira, Rodrigo Amorim Bezerra da Silva & Edmar Isaias de Melo

  3. Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, 79074-460, Brazil

    Jacqueline Marques Petroni & Bruno Gabriel Lucca

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  1. Maria Zizi Martins Mendonça
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  2. Fabiano Mendonça de Oliveira
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Contributions

FMO, MZMM prepared the electrodes, performed the electrochemical measurements and wrote the original article. BGL, JMP and VLC performed the electrode characterization and enriched the discussion of the manuscript (characterization and inclusion of greenness index). EIM and RABS synthesized the biochar samples, wrote the manuscript, prepared the figures, made a carefull review of manuscript, and raised funds for the research. All autors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Edmar Isaias de Melo.

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Mendonça, M.Z.M., de Oliveira, F.M., Petroni, J.M. et al. Biochar from coffee husks: a green electrode modifier for sensitive determination of heavy metal ions. J Appl Electrochem 53, 1461–1471 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-023-01853-8

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