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Contamination of aquatic systems by antimony (Sb) is a worldwide issue due to its risks to eco-environment and human health. Batch sorption experiments were conducted to assess the equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics of antimonite [Sb(III)] sorption by pristine biochar (BC) and chitosan-loaded biochar (CHBC) derived from branches of Ficus microcarpa. Results showed the successful loading of chitosan onto biochar surface, exhibiting more functional groups (e.g., C=O, –NH2, and –OH). Langmuir model well described the Sb(III) sorption isotherm experimental data, and the maximum sorption capacity of Sb(III) by CH1BC (biochar loaded with chitosan at a ratio of 1:1) was 168 mg g-1, whereas for the BC it was only 10 mg g-1. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that CH1BC oxidized 86% of Sb(III) to Sb(V), while BC oxidized 71% of Sb(III). Density functional theory calculations suggested that the synergistic effect of exogenous hydroxyl and inherent carbonyl contributed to the enhanced removal efficiency of Sb(III) by CHBC. Key mechanisms for Sb(III) sorption onto CHBCs included electrostatic interaction, chelation, surface complexation, π-π interaction, and hydrogen bonding. Overall, this study implies that CHBC can be a new, viable sorbent for the removal of Sb(III) from aquatic systems aiding their safe and sustainable management.

Rice husk biochar (RHBC) was prepared for use as adsorbents for the herbicide metolachlor. The characteristics and sorption properties of metolachlor adsorbed by the RHBC prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures were determined by analysis of physico-chemical characteristics, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Boehm titration, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermodynamics and kinetics adsorption. With increasing pyrolysis temperature, the RHBC surface area greatly increased (from 2.57 to 53.08 m2 g−1). RHBC produced at the highest temperature (750 °C) had the greatest surface area; SEM also showed the formation of a porous surface on RH-750 biochar. The sorption capacity of RHBC also increased significantly with increasing pyrolysis temperature and was characterized by the Freundlich constant K f for the adsorption capacity increasing from 125.17–269.46 (pyrolysis at 300 °C) to 339.94–765.24 (pyrolysis at 750 °C). The results indicated that the surface area and pore diameter of RHBC produced with high pyrolysis temperature (i.e., 750 °C) had the greatest impact on the adsorption of metolachlor. The FTIR, Boehm titration, and SEM analysis showed that the greatest number of surface groups were on RHBC produced at the lowest temperature (300 °C). The biochars produced at different pyrolysis temperatures had different mechanisms of adsorbing metolachlor, which exhibited a transition from hydrogen bonds dominant at low pyrolytic temperature to pore-filling dominant at higher pyrolytic temperature.

Abstract Removal of antimonite [Sb(III)] from the aquatic environment and reducing its biotoxicity is urgently needed to safeguard environmental and human health. Herein, crawfish shell-derived biochars (CSB), pyrolyzed at 350, 500, and 650°C, were used to remediate Sb(III) in aqueous solutions. The adsorption data best fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. Biochar produced at 350°C (CSB350) showed the highest adsorption capacity (27.7 mg g− 1), and the maximum 78% oxidative conversion of Sb(III) to Sb(V). The adsorption results complemented with infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy analyses indicated that the adsorption of Sb(III) on CSB involved electrostatic interaction, surface complexation with oxygen-containing functional groups (C = O, O = C–O), π–π coordination with aromatic C = C and C–H groups, and H-bonding with –OH group. Density functional theory calculations verified that surface complexation was the most dominant adsorption mechanism, whilst π–π coordination and H-bonding played a secondary role. Furthermore, electron spin resonance (ESR) and mediated electrochemical reduction/oxidation (MER/MEO) analyses confirmed that Sb(III) oxidation at the biochar surface was governed by persistent free radicals (PFRs) (•O2− and •OH) and the electron donating/accepting capacity (EDC/EAC) of biochar. The abundance of preferable surface functional groups, high concentration of PFRs, and high EDC conferred CSB350 the property of an optimal adsorbent/oxidant for Sb(III) removal from water. The encouraging results of this study call for future trials to apply suitable biochar for removing Sb(III) from wastewater at pilot scale and optimize the process. Graphical abstract