Removal of benzotriazole derivatives by biochar : potential environmental applications

Pap, Sabolč (author), Paunovic, Olivera (author), Prosen, Helena (author), Kraševec, Ida (author), Trebše, Polonca (author), Niemi, Lydia (author), Taggart, Mark (author), Turk Sekulić, Maja (author)

Benzotriazole and its derivatives (BTAs) are commonly present in wastewater due to their extensive use in industrial processes, yet their removal is still unexplored. Here, we test the removal of these pollutants using two functionalised biochars, synthesised from wild plum (WpOH) and apricot (AsPhA) kernels. The aim of this work was to optimise the adsorption process against various BTAs (i.e., benzotriazole (BTZ), 4-hydroxy-1H-benzotriazole (OHBZ), 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (4 MBZ), 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5 MBZ), 5-chloro-1H-benzotriazole (ClBZ), 5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzotriazole (DMBZ)), and determine the adsorption mechanisms at play, using real wastewater matrices. Batch studies showed that the optimal adsorption pH ranged between 4 and 6 for WpOH and AsPhA, respectively, and equilibrium was reached after 240 min. The kinetic models that best described the adsorption process were in the following order: Elovich model > pseudo-second order model > pseudo-first order model. The equilibrium data showed the highest correlation with the Freundlich isotherm, indicating multilayer adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity obtained in mixtures was 379 mg/g on WpOH and 526 mg/g on AsPhA. The mechanistic work revealed that the BTAs became bound to the biochar primarily through H-bonding, n-π and π-π EDA interactions. In wastewater, obtained before and after conventional treatment, the concentration of OHBZ and BTZ was reduced by >40%, while the concentration of the other compounds studied fell below the detection limit (∼2.0–90 ng/L). Finally, using a Vibrio fischeri assay, we showed that adsorption onto AsPhA significantly reduced the relative toxicity of both raw and treated wastewater.

• Language: English
• Keywords: adsorption, characterisation, wastewater, emerging pollutant, desorption, modelling
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences; FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 12 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 334, art. 122205
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-152747
• UDC: 544.723
• ISSN on article: 0269-7491
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122205
• COBISS.SI-ID: 159494659
• Publication date in RUL: 05.12.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Environmental pollution
• Shortened title: Environ. pollut.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0269-7491
• COBISS.SI-ID: 25405184

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: adsorpcija, karakterizacija, odpadne vode, nastajajoča onesnaževala, desorpcija, modeliranje

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P1-0153-2020
• Name: Raziskave in razvoj analiznih metod in postopkov