[Adsorption Characteristics of Tetracycline by CuFeO₂-modified Biochar]

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Adsorption Science

Context:

• Antibiotic contamination in water poses a significant environmental and health risk.
• Developing efficient and cost-effective adsorbents is crucial for water remediation.
• Biochar and metal oxides are promising materials for pollutant removal.

Purpose:

• To synthesize and characterize CuFeO2-modified biochar composites for tetracycline (TC) removal.
• To investigate the adsorption performance, kinetics, and thermodynamics of TC onto the composite.
• To explore the influence of pH and temperature on TC adsorption.

Summary:

• CuFeO2-modified biochar, particularly at a 2:1 mass ratio (CuFeO2/BC450), exhibited excellent tetracycline adsorption capacity (82.8 mg·g-1).
• Adsorption followed intraparticle diffusion kinetics, indicating film and pore diffusion control.
• The process was spontaneous, endothermic, and optimal under neutral pH conditions, attributed to the composite's porosity and surface properties.

Impact:

• Provides a highly efficient magnetic adsorbent for removing tetracycline and potentially other antibiotics from contaminated water.
• Demonstrates the synergistic effect of combining CuFeO2 with biochar for enhanced adsorption performance.
• Offers a sustainable solution for addressing pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic environments.