Use of Biopowders as Adsorbents of Potentially Toxic Elements Present in Aqueous Solutions

TL;DR

This study explores how cork and pine bark can effectively remove toxic elements like arsenic and chromium from water, offering eco-friendly solutions for water treatment.

Contribution

The study introduces cork and pine bark as novel, sustainable biosorbents for removing multiple potentially toxic elements from water.

Findings

Cork bark showed higher adsorption for arsenic and fluoride compared to pine bark.

Desorption tests revealed high retention rates for most contaminants, indicating strong binding.

Acidic conditions improved chromium adsorption similarly in both biopowders.

Abstract

This study examines the adsorption and desorption behaviors of phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), fluoride (F), and chromium (Cr) in aqueous solutions on green materials such as cork bark (CB) and pine bark (PB). These materials are characterized by active functional groups and net negative charges on their surfaces and porous structures. The evaluation considers variations in contaminant concentrations (0.01–10 mM) and pH (3.5–12). Cork bark exhibited higher adsorption capacity for As and F, while PB was more effective for P and Cr. Adsorption isotherms followed the Freundlich and Langmuir models, indicating surface heterogeneity and multilayer adsorption for most potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Desorption tests demonstrated low rates, with CB retaining up to 99% of F and 85% of As, and PB achieving up to 86% retention for Cr and 70% for P. The influence of pH was minimal for As, P, and F, but acidic conditions significantly enhanced Cr adsorption, showing similar behavior for both biopowders. These findings suggest that CB and PB biopowders are promising, environmentally friendly biosorbents for the removal of PTEs from aqueous solutions. Their effectiveness varies depending on the specific contaminant. This study highlights the potential of these natural materials for sustainable applications in water treatment and soil remediation.

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