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Updated: Aug 13, 2026
09:39
Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites
Published on: November 28, 2014
Adsorptive Removal of Benzophenone-4 (BP-4) Using Magnetically Recoverable Fe3O4/Alhagi maurorum Activated Biochar:
Shahad A Raheem1, Entidhar Jawad Kadhim1
1Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Al-Qasim Green University, Babylon, Iraq.
Summary
This study developed magnetic biochar from agricultural waste to remove the emerging pollutant Benzophenone-4 (BP-4) from water. The novel Fe3O4/AM-BC adsorbent efficiently removed BP-4, demonstrating its potential for water remediation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Water Treatment Technologies
Background:
- Benzophenone-4 (BP-4) is an emerging pollutant known for its persistence, bioaccumulation, and aquatic toxicity.
- Efficient removal of BP-4 from aqueous solutions is crucial due to its widespread presence and environmental impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, magnetically recoverable adsorbent for the efficient removal of Benzophenone-4 (BP-4) from aqueous solutions.
- To investigate the adsorption performance, mechanisms, and reusability of the developed magnetic biochar.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of magnetic biochar (Fe3O4/AM-BC) from Alhagi maurorum biomass (AM-BC) via KOH activation and co-precipitation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles.
- Characterization of Fe3O4/AM-BC using SEM/EDS, XRD, FTIR, BET, and VSM.
- Adsorption experiments to determine optimal conditions (pH, dose, concentration, time) and evaluate adsorption kinetics and isotherms.
Main Results:
- Fe3O4/AM-BC exhibited a high surface area (741.383 m²/g) and magnetic properties (Ms = 23.4 emu/g).
- Maximum BP-4 removal efficiency of 94.05% was achieved under optimized conditions.
- Adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm (R²=0.955) and PSO kinetics (R²=0.996), indicating chemisorption with a capacity of 62.87 mg/g.
- Adsorption mechanisms included electrostatic attraction, pore filling, π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding, and surface complexation.
- The adsorbent showed good reusability over 5 cycles.
Conclusions:
- Magnetically modified biochar (Fe3O4/AM-BC) is a highly effective and recyclable adsorbent for removing Benzophenone-4 from water.
- This approach offers a sustainable method for managing agricultural waste and remediating emerging water contaminants.
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