Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms

ABSTRACT: Biochar, as an efficient, effective, and potential soil improver, has broad application prospects in the field of defluoridation. This study aimed to evaluate the defluoridation potential of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) co-modified biochar from groundwater. The varied Fe/Mn molar ratio (2:...

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Main Authors: Juan-juan Liu, Si-yuan Ma, Xin-wen Yang, Wang-ying Chen, Abdur Rashid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-07-01
Series:China Geology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096519225000928
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author Juan-juan Liu
Si-yuan Ma
Xin-wen Yang
Wang-ying Chen
Abdur Rashid
author_facet Juan-juan Liu
Si-yuan Ma
Xin-wen Yang
Wang-ying Chen
Abdur Rashid
author_sort Juan-juan Liu
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: Biochar, as an efficient, effective, and potential soil improver, has broad application prospects in the field of defluoridation. This study aimed to evaluate the defluoridation potential of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) co-modified biochar from groundwater. The varied Fe/Mn molar ratio (2:1 and 1:2) modified biochar was prepared by corncob with the pyrolysis temperature of 300°C, 400°C, and 500°C. Batch experiments for fluoride (F‒) removal were performed by corncob biochar before and after Fe–Mn modified. Their composition, structure, and performance were analyzed by multiple characterization techniques to clarify F‒ removal mechanisms. Our results indicated that unmodified corncob biochar produced at 400 °C (BC400) exhibited the highest F‒ adsorption efficiency (87.3%) among three unmodified samples, attributable to its largest specific surface area (2.55 m2/g). Notably, F‒ removal amounts by Fe-Mn modified BC400 were 2 times higher than BC400. The enhanced F- removal performance of Fe–Mn modified biochar can be attributed to several mechanisms: (1) the modification produced rougher surface textures, resulting in an increased specific surface area (about 3.50 m2/g); (2) newly formed Fe–O and Mn–O bonds on the biochar surface facilitated the formation of complexes with F‒; and (3) the adsorption results fitted well with pseudo-second-order and Freundlich models (R2>0.98), indicating that the removal process involved physicochemical adsorption. These findings demonstrate that Fe–Mn modified biochar is a highly efficient and cost-effective material for F‒ remediation and holds significant potential for application in contaminated groundwater and soil systems.
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spelling doaj-art-04c76dbdaa8a4e13b5cd7d967773f2152025-08-20T03:18:38ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.China Geology2589-94302025-07-018354054910.1016/S2096-5192(25)00092-8Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanismsJuan-juan Liu0Si-yuan Ma1Xin-wen Yang2Wang-ying Chen3Abdur Rashid4Key Laboratory of Eco-Geochemistry, Ministry of Natural Resources, National Research Center for Geoanalysis, Beijing 100037, China; State Key Laboratory of Bio-Geology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Corresponding author: (Juan-juan Liu).State Key Laboratory of Bio-Geology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bio-Geology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bio-Geology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Bio-Geology and Environmental Geology, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaABSTRACT: Biochar, as an efficient, effective, and potential soil improver, has broad application prospects in the field of defluoridation. This study aimed to evaluate the defluoridation potential of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) co-modified biochar from groundwater. The varied Fe/Mn molar ratio (2:1 and 1:2) modified biochar was prepared by corncob with the pyrolysis temperature of 300°C, 400°C, and 500°C. Batch experiments for fluoride (F‒) removal were performed by corncob biochar before and after Fe–Mn modified. Their composition, structure, and performance were analyzed by multiple characterization techniques to clarify F‒ removal mechanisms. Our results indicated that unmodified corncob biochar produced at 400 °C (BC400) exhibited the highest F‒ adsorption efficiency (87.3%) among three unmodified samples, attributable to its largest specific surface area (2.55 m2/g). Notably, F‒ removal amounts by Fe-Mn modified BC400 were 2 times higher than BC400. The enhanced F- removal performance of Fe–Mn modified biochar can be attributed to several mechanisms: (1) the modification produced rougher surface textures, resulting in an increased specific surface area (about 3.50 m2/g); (2) newly formed Fe–O and Mn–O bonds on the biochar surface facilitated the formation of complexes with F‒; and (3) the adsorption results fitted well with pseudo-second-order and Freundlich models (R2>0.98), indicating that the removal process involved physicochemical adsorption. These findings demonstrate that Fe–Mn modified biochar is a highly efficient and cost-effective material for F‒ remediation and holds significant potential for application in contaminated groundwater and soil systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096519225000928Corncob biocharFe–Mn modificationFe/Mn molar ratioPyrolysis temperatureDefluorinationAdsorption mechanisms
spellingShingle Juan-juan Liu
Si-yuan Ma
Xin-wen Yang
Wang-ying Chen
Abdur Rashid
Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms
China Geology
Corncob biochar
Fe–Mn modification
Fe/Mn molar ratio
Pyrolysis temperature
Defluorination
Adsorption mechanisms
title Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms
title_full Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms
title_fullStr Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms
title_full_unstemmed Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms
title_short Iron-manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater: Insights into adsorption mechanisms
title_sort iron manganese modified corncob biochar for fluoride removal from groundwater insights into adsorption mechanisms
topic Corncob biochar
Fe–Mn modification
Fe/Mn molar ratio
Pyrolysis temperature
Defluorination
Adsorption mechanisms
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2096519225000928
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