Study on adsorption performance of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol from aqueous solution onto biochar derived from macroalgae as an efficient adsorbent

ABSTRACT

An efficient adsorbent was derived from Sargassum boveanum macroalgae (BCM) through a thermal pyrolysis process. It was characterized and investigated for the removal of 2,4,6–Trichlorophenol (TCP) from the aqueous solution. The effects of adsorbent mass, adsorbate concentration, and contact time were examined. The maximum removal efficiency and adsorption capacity were 100% and 175 mg g^−1, respectively. The adsorption fitted Freundlich model and followed pseudo-second order kinetics. It was also found that the adsorption process was spontaneous, endothermic, and thermodynamically favorable. This study indicated that BCM adsorbent can remove 60% of TCP from the high saline seawater and it is reusable for three times.

KEYWORDS:

• Phenolic Compounds
• seawater
• environment
• adsorption Isotherms
• removal efficiency

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank professor Syed Ajmal Khan for English editing and proofreading the manuscript. They also highly acknowledge the Center for Environment and Water (CEW) at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) for the support and funding this research study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.