Biochar Prepared from Steam-Exploded Bitter Melon Vine for the Adsorption of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution: Kinetics, Isotherm, Thermodynamics and Mechanism

Xia Li, Hongyu Jia, Lihua Jiang, Zhengwei Mou, Bo Zhang, Zihui Zhang and Yan Chen ()
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Xia Li: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Agriculture and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China
Hongyu Jia: Institute of Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
Lihua Jiang: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Agriculture and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China
Zhengwei Mou: Yantai Jereh Oilfield Services Group Co., Ltd., Yantai 264000, China
Bo Zhang: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Agriculture and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China
Zihui Zhang: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Agriculture and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China
Yan Chen: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Agriculture and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: Bitter melon vine (an agricultural waste product with high fiber content) is difficult to treat and has caused problems in the environment. This research aims to produce biochar through low-temperature pyrolysis assisted by non-polluting steam explosion. The physical and chemical properties of the biochar were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, specific surface area measurements (BET), X-ray diffraction patters (XRD), elemental analysis (EA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Next, the adsorption mechanism of methylene blue (MB) on the steam-exploded bitter melon vine biochar pyrolyzed at 200 °C (qBC 200 ) and the effects of adsorption time, pH, initial concentration, adsorption temperature, and adsorbent dosage on the adsorption effect were investigated. Steam explosion destroyed the dense structure of the plant, increased the number of oxygen-containing surface functional groups, and improved the adsorption performance of the material. Therefore, qBC 200 more effectively adsorbed MB than untreated biochar, reaching a saturated adsorption capacity of 267.72 mg/g. The MB adsorption kinetics and isothermal adsorption process of qBC 200 align with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isothermal equation (monolayer adsorption), respectively. The thermodynamic results show that MB adsorbs via a spontaneous, entropy-increasing exothermic reaction. The adsorption mechanism involves electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π–π interactions. The prepared biomass with high fiber content is a promising new material for wastewater treatment.

Keywords: bitter melon vine; steam explosion; biochar; adsorption mechanism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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