Coupled sorptive and oxidative antimony(III) removal by iron-modified biochar: Mechanisms of electron-donating capacity and reactive Fe species

Yurong Gao; Hanbo Chen; Zheng Fang; Nabeel Khan Niazi; Kwasi Adusei-Fosu; Jianhong Li; Xing Yang; Zhongzhen Liu; Nanthi S Bolan; Bin Gao; Deyi Hou; Chenghua Sun; Jun Meng; Wenfu Chen; Bert F Quin; Hailong Wang

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122637

Coupled sorptive and oxidative antimony(III) removal by iron-modified biochar: Mechanisms of electron-donating capacity and reactive Fe species

Environ Pollut. 2023 Nov 15:337:122637. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122637. Epub 2023 Sep 26.

Authors

Yurong Gao¹, Hanbo Chen², Zheng Fang¹, Nabeel Khan Niazi³, Kwasi Adusei-Fosu⁴, Jianhong Li⁵, Xing Yang⁶, Zhongzhen Liu⁷, Nanthi S Bolan⁸, Bin Gao⁹, Deyi Hou¹⁰, Chenghua Sun¹¹, Jun Meng¹², Wenfu Chen¹², Bert F Quin¹³, Hailong Wang¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China.
² Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science & Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, China.
³ Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan.
⁴ Resilient Agriculture, AgResearch Ltd., Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
⁵ Rubber Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Renmin Road, Haikou, 570228, China.
⁷ Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
⁸ School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6001, Australia.
⁹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, United States.
¹⁰ School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
¹¹ Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Center for Translational Atomaterials, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia.
¹² Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China.
¹³ Quin Environmentals (NZ) Ltd., PO Box 125122, St. Heliers, Auckland, 1740, New Zealand.
¹⁴ School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China; Agronomy College, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, China. Electronic address: hailong.wang@fosu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37769707
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122637

Abstract

Sorption and oxidation are two potential pathways for the decontamination of trivalent antimony (Sb(III))-bearing water, using iron (Fe)-modified biochar (FeBC). Here we investigated the sorption and oxidation behavior of FeBC for Sb(III) in aqueous solutions. Results revealed that Sb(III) removal by FeBC was significantly improved showing the maximum Sb(III) sorption (64.0 mg g^-1). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that magnetite (Fe₃O₄) in FeBC offered a sorption energy of -0.22 eV, which is 5 times that of non-modified biochar. With the addition of peroxymonosulfate (PMS), the sorption of Sb(III) on FeBC was 7 times higher than that on BC, indicating the sorption capacity of FeBC for Sb(III) could be substantially increased by adding oxidizing agents. Electrochemical analysis showed that Fe modification imparted FeBC higher electron-donating capacity than that of BC (0.045 v. s. 0.023 mmol e^- (g biochar)^-1), which might be the reason for the strong Sb(III) oxidation (63.6%) on the surface of FeBC. This study provides new information that is key for the development of effective biochar-based composite materials for the removal of Sb(III) from drinking water and wastewater. The findings from this study have important implications for protecting human health and agriculture.

Keywords: Adsorption; Density functional theory; Engineered biochar; Functionalized biochar; Metalloid.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Antimony / analysis
Charcoal
Electrons
Humans
Iron* / analysis
Oxidative Stress
Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Iron
Antimony
biochar
Charcoal
Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical