ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Transforming Conocarpus Hedge Waste
into a Highly Effective Iron/Manganese
Nanocomposite Biochar for Efficient Methylene
Blue Dye Removal from Aqueous Solution
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1
Agricultural Engineering Department, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2
Alamoudi Water Research Chair, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
3
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2024-03-10
Final revision date: 2024-04-15
Acceptance date: 2024-05-05
Online publication date: 2024-09-24
Corresponding author
Muhammad Shafiq
Alamoudi Water Research Chair, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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ABSTRACT
In this study, we delve into the synthesis of Conocarpus (pruning waste) biochar (C.biochar)
and its composite with Iron/Manganese (Fe/Mn-C.biochar) through a modified wet impregnation
method. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the methylene blue (MB) removal
efficiency of C.biochar and Fe/Mn-C.biochar composite from aqueous solution. Several key factors
were analyzed, namely, contact time, adsorbent dose, pH level, and MB concentration. Fe/Mn-C.biochar
composite showcased remarkable MB removal efficiency, exhibiting a 100% removal rate, whereas
C.biochar alone removed 25% MB. Adsorption capacity peaked at 97.41 mg g-1 within 60 minutes
of contact time. pH values significantly influenced the adsorption process, indicating improved removal
efficacy at both acidic and alkaline conditions. This improvement is potentially attributed to surface
complexation and the interaction between metal ions in the composite. A kinetic study was conducted,
favoring the pseudo-second-order model. MB dye removal data exhibited best fit to Temkin and D–R
models that showcased chemisorption, reinforcing the suitability of the composite for successful adsorption.
FTIR analysis revealed the presence of diverse functional groups in the synthesized nanocomposites.
For Fe/Mn-C.biochar composites, the IR analysis exhibited peaks associated with metal-oxygen
vibrations, emphasizing the incorporation of Fe and Mn. However, the peak intensities related to Fe
and Mn reduced after the adsorption of MB, suggesting the creation of complexes between the dye
molecules and metal oxides. Additionally, morphological studies and EDS analysis further confirmed
that the weight ratio of Fe and Mn decreased in the MB-adsorbed nanocomposites. These mechanisms
provide a sustainable and optimistic solution for the elimination of MB dye.