Abstract
In this study, porous activated carbon balls supported by nanoscale zero-valent iron composites (Fe@PACB-700) were used for the first time for the removal of trace Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The Fe@PACB-700 composites were prepared by a facile carbothermal reduction method and then characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that nZVI particles have been successfully loaded onto PACBs. Fe@PACB-700 shows an excellent Cr(VI) removal efficiency of 91.2%. The maximum adsorption capacity of Fe@PACB-700 for Cr(VI) is 22.24 mg/g, which is 4.36 times that of PACB. The residual Cr(VI) concentration is below 20 ppb with the use of 0.15 g of Fe@PACB-700, which is much lower than the allowable concentration for Cr(VI) in drinking water (0.05 mg/L). The adsorption of Cr(VI) can be well described by the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Fe@PACB-700 still has a high removal efficiency of 80% after five cycles. Thus, Fe@PACB-700 has a great potential for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution.
Graphical abstract
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aldmour ST, Burke IT, Bray AW, Baker DL, Ross AB, Gill FL, Cibin G, Ries ME, Stewart DI (2018) Abiotic reduction of Cr(VI) by humic acids derived from peat and lignite: kinetics and removal mechanism. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:4717–4729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3902-1
Banerjee M, Basu RK, Das SK (2018) Cu(II) removal using green adsorbents: kinetic modeling and plant scale-up design. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1930-5
Baran A, Bicak E, Baysal SH, Onal S (2007) Comparative studies on the adsorption of Cr(VI) ions on to various sorbents. Bioresour Technol 98:661–665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2006.02.020
Chen R, Wang P, Li M, Tian F, Xiao J, Fu X, Ding C, Shi Y (2018) Removal of Cr(VI) by magnetic Fe/C crosslinked nanoparticle for water purification: rapid contaminant removal property and mechanism of action. Water Sci Technol 78:2171–2182. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2018.497
Diao ZH, Du JJ, Jiang D, Kong LJ, Huo WY, Liu CM, Wu QH, Xu XR (2018) Insights into the simultaneous removal of Cr6+ and Pb2+ by a novel sewage sludge-derived biochar immobilized nanoscale zero valent iron: coexistence effect and mechanism. Sci Total Environ 642:505–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.093
Dong X, Ma LQ, Li Y (2011) Characteristics and mechanisms of hexavalent chromium removal by biochar from sugar beet tailing. J Hazard Mater 190:909–915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2011.04.008
Dong H, Deng J, Xie Y, Zhang C, Jiang Z, Cheng Y, Hou K, Zeng G (2017a) Stabilization of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) with modified biochar for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. J Hazard Mater 332:79–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.03.002
Dong H, Zhang C, Hou K, Cheng Y, Deng J, Jiang Z, Tang L, Zeng G (2017b) Removal of trichloroethylene by biochar supported nanoscale zero-valent iron in aqueous solution. Sep Purif Technol 188:188–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2017.07.033
Eyvazi B, Jamshidi-Zanjani A, Khodadadi Darban A (2018) Immobilization of hexavalent chromium in contaminated soil using nano-magnetic MnFe2O4. J Hazard Mater 365:813–819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.11.041
Huang P, Ye Z, Xie W, Chen Q, Li J, Xu Z, Yao M (2013) Rapid magnetic removal of aqueous heavy metals and their relevant mechanisms using nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) particles. Water Res 47:4050–4058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2013.01.054
Jin X, Zhuang Z, Yu B, Chen Z, Chen Z (2016) Functional chitosan-stabilized nanoscale zero-valent iron used to remove acid fuchsine with the assistance of ultrasound. Carbohydr Polym 136:1085–1090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.10.002
Li G, Wang L, Li W, Xu Y (2015) Fe-, Co-, and Ni-loaded porous activated carbon balls as lightweight microwave absorbents. ChemPhysChem 16:3458–3467. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.201500608
Liu X, Wang Y (2019) Activated carbon supported nanoscale zero-valent iron composite: aspects of surface structure and composition. Mater Chem Phys 222:369–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2018.10.013
Liu T, Zhao L, Sun D, Tan X (2010) Entrapment of nanoscale zero-valent iron in chitosan beads for hexavalent chromium removal from wastewater. J Hazard Mater 184:724–730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.08.099
Liu TY, Wang ZL, Zhao L, Yang X (2012a) Enhanced chitosan/Fe0-nanoparticles beads for hexavalent chromium removal from wastewater. Chem Eng J 189:196–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.02.056
Liu W, Zhang J, Zhang CL, Ren L (2012b) Preparation and evaluation of activated carbon-based iron-containing adsorbents for enhanced Cr(VI) removal: mechanism study. Chem Eng J 189:295–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.02.082
Liu T, Wang ZL, Yan X, Zhang B (2014) Removal of mercury (II) and chromium (VI) from wastewater using a new and effective composite: pumice-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron. Chem Eng J 245:34–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2014.02.011
Liu CM, Diao ZH, Huo WY, Kong LJ, Du JJ (2018) Simultaneous removal of Cu2+ and bisphenol A by a novel biochar-supported zero valent iron from aqueous solution: synthesis, reactivity and mechanism. Environ Pollut 239:698–705. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.084
Liu X, Lai D, Wang Y (2019a) Performance of Pb(II) removal by an activated carbon supported nanoscale zero-valent iron composite at ultralow iron content. J Hazard Mater 361:37–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.08.082
Liu YL, Li YT, Huang JF, Zhang YL, Ruan ZH (2019b) An advanced sol–gel strategy for enhancing interfacial reactivity of iron oxide nanoparticles on rosin biochar substrate to remove Cr(VI). Sci Total Environ 690:438–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.021
Lv X, Xu J, Jiang G, Xu X (2011) Removal of chromium(VI) from wastewater by nanoscale zero-valent iron particles supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Chemosphere 85:1204–1209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2017.05.013
Ma Y, Liu WJ, Zhang N, Li YS, Jiang H, Sheng GP (2014) Polyethylenimine modified biochar adsorbent for hexavalent chromium removal from the aqueous solution. Bioresour Technol 169:403–408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.07.014
Mines PD, Uthuppu B, Thirion D, Jakobsen MH, Yavuz CT, Andersen HR, Hwang Y (2018) Granular activated carbon with grafted nanoporous polymer enhances nanoscale zero-valent iron impregnation and water contaminant removal. Chem Eng J 339:22–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2018.01.102
Miretzky P, Cirelli AF (2010) Cr(VI) and Cr(III) removal from aqueous solution by raw and modified lignocellulosic materials: a review. J Hazard Mater 180:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.04.060
Mortazavian S, An H, Chun D, Moon J (2018) Activated carbon impregnated by zero-valent iron nanoparticles (AC/nZVI) optimized for simultaneous adsorption and reduction of aqueous hexavalent chromium: material characterizations and kinetic studies. Chem Eng J 353:781–795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2018.07.170
Petala E, Dimos K, Douvalis A, Bakas T, Tucek J, Zbořil R, Karakassides MA (2013) Nanoscale zero-valent iron supported on mesoporous silica: characterization and reactivity for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. J Hazard Mater 261:295–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.07.046
Ren L, Dong J, Chi Z, Huang H (2018) Reduced graphene oxide-nano zero value iron (rGO-nZVI) micro-electrolysis accelerating Cr(VI) removal in aquifer. J Environ Sci 73:96–106
Tang L, Tang J, Zeng G, Yang G, Xie X, Zhou Y, Pang Y, Fang Y, Wang J, Xiong W (2015) Rapid reductive degradation of aqueous p-nitrophenol using nanoscale zero-valent iron particles immobilized on mesoporous silica with enhanced antioxidation effect. Appl Surf Sci 333:220–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.02.025
Vilardi G, Mpouras T, Dermatas D, Verdone N, Polydera A, Di Palma L (2018) Nanomaterials application for heavy metals recovery from polluted water: the combination of nano zero-valent iron and carbon nanotubes. Competitive adsorption non-linear modeling. Chemosphere 201:716–729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.032
Wan C, Li J (2015) Facile synthesis of well-dispersed superparamagnetic γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles encapsulated in three-dimensional architectures of cellulose aerogels and their applications for Cr(VI) removal from contaminated water. ACS Sustainable Chem Eng 3:2142–2152. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.5b00384
Wang X, Du Y, Ma J (2016) Novel synthesis of carbon spheres supported nanoscale zero-valent iron for removal of metronidazole. Appl Surf Sci 390:50–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.08.027
Wang Z, Huang W, Bin P, Zhang X, Yang G (2019) Preparation of quaternary amine-grafted organosolv lignin biosorbent and its application in the treatment of hexavalent chromium polluted water. Int J Biol Macromol 126:1014–1022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.087
Xie Y, Yi Y, Qin Y, Wang L, Liu G, Wu Y, Diao Z, Zhou T, Xu M (2016) Perchlorate degradation in aqueous solution using chitosan-stabilized zero-valent iron nanoparticles. Sep Purif Technol 171:164–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2016.07.023
Xie L, Yu Z, Islam SM, Shi K, Cheng Y, Yuan M, Zhao J, Sun G, Li H, Ma S, Kanatzidis MG (2018) Remarkable acid stability of polypyrrole-MoS4: a highly selective and efficient scavenger of heavy metals over a wide pH range. Adv Funct Mater 28. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201800502
Yang X, Wan Y, Zheng Y, He F, Yu Z, Huang J, Wang H, Ok YS, Jiang Y, Gao B (2019) Surface functional groups of carbon-based adsorbents and their roles in the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions: a critical review. Chem Eng J 366:608–621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.02.119
Zhang L, Fu F, Tang B (2019a) Adsorption and redox conversion behaviors of Cr(VI) on goethite/carbon microspheres and akaganeite/carbon microspheres composites. Chem Eng J 356:151-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2018.08.224
Zhang S, Lyu H, Tang J, Song B, Zhen M, Liu X (2019b) A novel biochar supported CMC stabilized nano zero-valent iron composite for hexavalent chromium removal from water. Chemosphere 217:686-694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.2018.11.040
Zhu F, Li L, Ren W, Deng X, Liu T (2017) Effect of pH, temperature, humic acid and coexisting anions on reduction of Cr(VI) in the soil leachate by nZVI/Ni bimetal material. Environ Pollut 227:444-450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.074
Zhao R, Zhou Z, Zhao X, Jing G (2019) Enhanced Cr(VI) removal from simulated electroplating rinse wastewater by amino-functionalized vermiculite-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron. Chemosphere 218:458-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.11.118
Zou Y, Wang X, Khan A, Wang P, Liu Y, Alsaedi A, Hayat T, Wang X (2016) Environmental remediation and application of nanoscale zero-valent iron and its composites for the removal of heavy metal ions: a review. Environ Sci Technol 50:7290-7304. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b01897
Funding
This work was supported by the Specialized Research Fund for Sanjin Scholars Program of Shanxi Province (201707), North University of China Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (201701), Shanxi Scholarship Council of China (2019032), and Foundation of State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering (2018-K35).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Tito Roberto Cadaval Jr
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Highlights
• A novel porous activated carbon ball (PACB) supported by nanoscale zero-valent iron (Fe@PACB-700) was prepared.
• Fe@PACB-700 composites were firstly used for trace Cr(VI) removal.
• Fe@PACB-700 composites could effectively reduce Cr(VI) to below 20 ppb level.
• The removal capacity of Cr(VI) by Fe@PACB-700 was 4.36 times than that of PACB.
• A possible Cr(VI) removal mechanism involving adsorption and reduction was proposed.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Song, Y., Wang, L., Lv, B. et al. Removal of trace Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by porous activated carbon balls supported by nanoscale zero-valent iron composites. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 7015–7024 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07027-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07027-4