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Fabrication of biochar-based bimetallic green nanocomposite as a photocatalytic adsorbent for tetracycline and antibacterial agent

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Abstract

The contamination of water sources by emerging contaminants, such as tetracycline antibiotics, poses a growing environmental concern due to the lack of sustainable removal methods. An eco-friendly solution involves using aquatic weed-derived biochar to synthesize metallic nanocomposites, particularly Ag-Zn, for effective antibiotic removal from water. In this study, we developed Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) biomass-derived biochar-based bimetallic nanocomposites (EBCbmNC) and evaluated their adsorption and photodegradation efficiency for tetracycline (TC) in water. Comprehensive characterization techniques were used to confirm the successful synthesis of nanocomposites with particle sizes of 20, 50, and 100 nm and to assess their properties. Optimal TC removal was achieved with 0.01 g of EBCbmNC at pH 4.0 and 70 °C. The pseudo-second-order model accurately described the adsorption process (R2 = 0.99), with observed and computed adsorption capacities in close agreement (77.43 and 76.92 mg/g, respectively). The Freundlich model indicated multilayer adsorption on a heterogeneous surface (R2 = 0.99). Thermodynamic analysis showed endothermic and favorable adsorption. EBCbmNC also exhibited significant photocatalytic activity, achieving 90% degradation of TC in 40 min under ideal conditions. Additionally, it displayed strong antibacterial efficiency against E. coli and maintained acceptable removal efficiencies over multiple reuse cycles. These findings underscore the potential of EBCbmNC as a sustainable and cost-effective material for tetracycline removal, offering an alternative to conventional water treatment methods. Eichhornia biochar-based nanocomposite shows promise for eco-friendly tetracycline removal, providing an environmentally sustainable solution to water contamination challenges.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We duly acknowledge the analytical services of Ms. Manju Mohandas and Ms. Anu Mathew of the Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIFs), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India, in providing field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and AFM facility.

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This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Centre of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, 686560, India

    Shanthi Prabha Viswanathan, Giya Merline Kuriakose, Gopika Vijayakumar Njazhakunnathu, Sreekanth Prakasan Neelamury & Thomas Paili Ambatt

  2. Department of Chemistry, Baselius College, Kottayam, Kerala, 686001, India

    Suma Bino Thomas

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  1. Shanthi Prabha Viswanathan
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. Conceptualization, investigation, writing, and editing were done by SPV. GMK and GVN assisted in laboratory experiments and analysis. SNP assisted in manuscript editing. SBT extended research consultation and rectifications. APT extended all the required facilities and supervised the research. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Shanthi Prabha Viswanathan.

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Viswanathan, S.P., Kuriakose, G.M., Njazhakunnathu, G.V. et al. Fabrication of biochar-based bimetallic green nanocomposite as a photocatalytic adsorbent for tetracycline and antibacterial agent. Nanotechnol. Environ. Eng. 9, 29–46 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41204-023-00349-2

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