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Low-cost magnetic herbal biochar: characterization and application for antibiotic removal

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Abstract

Magnetic biochar (M-BC) was derived from herbal medicine waste, Astragalus membranaceus residue, and was used as an adsorbent for ciprofloxacin removal from aqueous solutions. The M-BC was characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, hysteresis loops, scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The BET surface area increased from 4.40 to 203.70 m2/g after pyrolysis/magnetic modification. Batch experiments were performed at different dosages, initial concentrations, contact times, and solution pHs. Adsorption performances were evaluated using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and the results indicated that the Langmuir model appropriately described the adsorption process. The kinetic data were better fitted by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum ciprofloxacin removal was observed at pH 6 (adsorption capacity of 68.9 ± 3.23 mg/g). Studies demonstrated that magnetically modified biochar might be an attractive, cost-effective, and easily separated adsorbent for contaminated water.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (CN) (grant number: BK20150693, BK20140657), the Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, CAS (grant number: 2014SKL005), and the National Found for Fostering Talents of Basic Science (NFFTBS, grant number: J1310032).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China

    Xiangrui Kong, Yaoxuan Liu, Jiachang Pi, Wenhong Li, QianJiahua Liao & Jingge Shang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Jingge Shang

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  1. Xiangrui Kong
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  2. Yaoxuan Liu
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  3. Jiachang Pi
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  4. Wenhong Li
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  5. QianJiahua Liao
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  6. Jingge Shang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jingge Shang.

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Responsible editor: Hailong Wang

Xiangrui Kong and Yaoxuan Liu contributed equally to this work

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Kong, X., Liu, Y., Pi, J. et al. Low-cost magnetic herbal biochar: characterization and application for antibiotic removal. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 6679–6687 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8376-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8376-z

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