Effect of Biochar Modification by Vitamin C, Hydrogen Peroxide or Silver Nanoparticles on Its Physicochemistry and Tetracycline Removal

Abstract

Chemical modification of biochars can improve their adsorption capacity relative to antibiotics, posing a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, this research is aimed at the treatment of sunflower husk biochar (BC) by vitamin C, hydrogen peroxide or silver nanoparticles and the impact of this procedure on the biochar porosity, surface chemistry, and ability to remove tetracycline (TC). During the study, BC was produced by pyrolysis of sunflower husks at 650 °C. All solids were characterized using potentiometric titration, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, etc. The experimental adsorption data was described by kinetics equations: pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and particle internal diffusion (IPD) models as well as by isotherms of Langmuir, Langmuir-Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson. The obtained results indicated that the biochar upgraded by vitamin C (BCV) had the highest ability to attract antibiotic molecules and, as a result, the TC adsorption on its surface was the largest. Furthermore, the TC desorption from this material was minimal. The measured TC adsorbed amounts for the modified BCs were as follows: 47.75% (7.47 mg/g) for BCV, 37.35% (8.41 mg/g)-for biochar treated by hydrogen peroxide (BCH), and 42.04% (9.55 mg/g) for biochar modified by silver nanoparticles (BCA). The lowest adsorption level was noted for non-modified biochar, i.e., 34.17% (6.83 mg/g). Based on the presented results it can be stated that the upgraded biochars had a good potential to improve the tetracycline removal from aqueous media, e.g., groundwater.