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Updated: Feb 28, 2026

Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites
Published on: November 28, 2014
Enhanced Adsorption of Xylenol Orange by CTAB-Functionalized Tomato-Derived Biochar: Mechanisms and Performance
Shirui Zheng1, Mengjie Bai2, Yongwei Li2
1State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Biobased Fibers and Ecological Textiles, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.
Abstract:
In this work, a tomato biochar composite modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB@TBC) was successfully synthesized using an ethanol solution method. It was comprehensively characterized to evaluate its morphology (SEM), crystal structure (XRD), chemical bonding (FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy), surface area (BET analysis), and thermal stability (TGA). The adsorption performance of the composite for xylenol orange (XO) was subsequently evaluated in detail. The findings revealed that CTAB@TBC exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 150.59 mg/g for XO. Kinetic analysis indicated that the adsorption process conformed to a pseudo-second-order model, implying that chemisorption was the step limiting the rate. The Langmuir model accurately described the adsorption isotherm data, suggesting monolayer adsorption on a uniform surface. Thermodynamic evaluation further revealed a negative Gibbs free energy (ΔG) change, confirming the spontaneity of the adsorption process. In summary, the results suggest that CTAB@TBC is a highly effective adsorbent for eliminating dyes from wastewater and offers considerable promise for treating industrial effluents.

