Rice and wheat husks
were converted to biochars by slow pyrolysis
(1 h) at 600 °C. Iron oxide rice husk hybrid biochar (RHIOB)
and wheat husk hybrid biochar (WHIOB) were synthesized by copyrolysis
of FeCl3-impregnated rice or wheat husks at 600 °C.
These hybrid sorbents were characterized using X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
SEM–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, physical
parameter measurement system, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller
(BET) surface area techniques. Fe3O4 was the
predominant iron oxide present with some Fe2O3. RHIOB and WHIOB rapidly chemisorbed As(III) from water (∼24%
removal in first half an hour reaching up to ∼100% removal
in 24 h) at surface Fe–OH functions forming monodentate Fe–OAs(OH)2 and bidentate (Fe–O)2AsOH complexes.
Optimum removal occurred in the pH 7.5–8.5 range for both RHIOB
and WHIOB, but excellent removal occurred from pH 3 to 10. Batch kinetic
studies at various initial adsorbate–adsorbent concentrations,
temperatures, and contact times gave excellent pseudo-second-order
model fits. Equilibrium data were fitted to different sorption isotherm
models. Fits to isotherm models (based on R
2 and χ2) on RHIOB and WHIOB followed the order:
Redlich–Peterson > Toth > Sips = Koble–Corrigan
> Langmuir
> Freundlich = Radke–Prausnitz > Temkin and Sips = Koble–Corrigan
> Toth > Redlich–Peterson > Langmuir > Temkin >
Freundlich
= Radke–Prausnitz, respectively. Maximum adsorption capacities, Q
RHIOB
0 = 96 μg/g and Q
WHIOB
0 = 111 μg/g, were obtained. No
As(III) oxidation to As(V) was detected. Arsenic adsorption was endothermic.
Particle diffusion was a rate-determining step at low (≤50
μg/L) concentrations, but film diffusion controls the rate at
≥100–200 μg/L. Binding interactions with RHIOB
and WHIOB were established, and the mechanism was carefully discussed.
RHIOB and WHIOB can successfully be used for As(III) removal in single
and multicomponent systems with no significant decrease in adsorption
capacity in the presence of interfering ions mainly Cl–, HCO3
–, NO3
–, SO4
2–, PO4
3–, K+, Na+, Ca2+. Simultaneous As(III)
desorption and regeneration of RHIOB and WHIOB was successfully achieved.
A very nominal decrease in As(III) removal capacity in four consecutive
cycles demonstrates the reusability of RHIOB and WHIOB. Furthermore,
these sustainable composites had good sorption efficiencies and may
be removed magnetically to avoid slow filtration.