Biochar-Mediated Zirconium Ferrite Nanocomposites for Tartrazine Dye Removal from Textile Wastewater

To meet the current challenges concerning the removal of dyes from wastewater, an environmentally friendly and efficient treatment technology is urgently needed. The recalcitrant, noxious, carcinogenic and mutagenic compound dyes are a threat to ecology and its removal from textile wastewater is challenge in the current world. Herein, biochar-mediated zirconium ferrite nanocomposites (BC-ZrFe₂O₅ NCs) were fabricated with wheat straw-derived biochar and applied for the adsorptive elimination of Tartrazine dye from textile wastewater. The optical and structural properties of synthesized BC-ZrFe₂O₅ NCs were characterized via UV/Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform Infra-red (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive R-Ray (EDX) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The batch modes experiments were executed to explore sorption capacity of BC-ZrFe₂O₅ NCs at varying operative conditions, i.e., pH, temperature, contact time, initial dye concentrations and adsorbent dose. BC-ZrFe₂O₅ NCs exhibited the highest sorption efficiency among all adsorbents (wheat straw biomass (WSBM), wheat straw biochar (WSBC) and BC-ZrFe₂O₅ NCs), having an adsorption capacity of (mg g^-1) 53.64 ± 0.23, 79.49 ± 0.21 and 89.22 ± 0.31, respectively, for Tartrazine dye at optimum conditions of environmental variables: pH 2, dose rate 0.05 g, temperature 303 K, time of contact 360 min and concentration 100 mg L^-1. For the optimization of process variables, response surface methodology (RSM) was employed. In order to study the kinetics and the mechanism of the adsorption process, kinetic and equilibrium mathematical models were used, and results revealed 2nd order kinetics and a multilayer chemisorption mechanism due to complexation of hydroxyl, Fe and Zr with dyes functional groups. The nanocomposites were also recovered in five cycles without significant loss (89 to 63%) in adsorption efficacy. This research work provides insight into the fabrication of nanoadsorbents for the efficient adsorption of Tartrazine dye, which can also be employed for practical engineering applications on an industrial scale as efficient and cost effective materials.