Efficient adsorption of highly-concentrated Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions using tea residue-derived humic acid

The efficient capture and removal of toxic metals, for instance, Chromium (Cr(VI)) from aqueous environments is a critical issue, in environmental science and engineering. Developing cost-effective, eco-friendly and pH-adaptive adsorbent is essential for addressing this challenge. In this study, tea...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Minghai Ma, Jiawei You, Ran Chen, Huiling Shen, Mengyi Hu, Tong Xue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Desalination and Water Treatment
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1944398625002437
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Summary:The efficient capture and removal of toxic metals, for instance, Chromium (Cr(VI)) from aqueous environments is a critical issue, in environmental science and engineering. Developing cost-effective, eco-friendly and pH-adaptive adsorbent is essential for addressing this challenge. In this study, tea residue-based humic acid (T-HA) adsorbent was feasibly prepared via an alkali-soluble acid precipitation method for the optimal elimination of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. Results indicate that T-HA can be extracted from tea residues while the study of tea residue as an emerging biomass feedstock remains in the exploratory stage, yielding 1.47 % through the proposed method. The highest adsorption capacity of T-HA for Cr(VI) was recorded as 27.32 mg/g, significantly 53.92 % higher than that of untreated tea residue. The adsorption behavior adhered to pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2=0.999) and was consistent with the Freundlich isotherm model (R2=0.987), suggesting that chemical adsorption was the dominant mechanism. This study highlights the potential of T-HA for the valorization of tea residues and the purification of heavy metal-contaminated wastewater, contributing to sustainable resource utilization and environmental remediation.
ISSN:1944-3986