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Potential Impacts of polypropylene Microplastics on the Adsorption Process of Cr(VI) by Biochar
Summary
Biochar is a cheap, eco-friendly material used to filter toxic chromium out of contaminated water, but this study found that when microplastics are mixed in, they interfere with biochar's ability to soak up this pollutant. This matters because microplastics are now everywhere in our water systems, and if they're quietly undermining our water treatment methods, harmful chemicals like chromium could be slipping through and ending up in the water we drink.
Microplastics are a serious concern today because of their huge quantities in the environment, their ability to adsorb toxins on surfaces, their ease of entry in the food chain based on micron size, and theirs contributing to increased potential health threats.However, a new aspect of microplastics' presence impacting the pollutant treatment efficiency is poorly understood.This study clarifies the effects of microplastics on the adsorption process of Cr(VI) by biochar, an effective and inexpensive material for wastewater treatment.Techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Nitrogen adsorption/ desorption, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were used to assess the characteristics of adsorbents.The results showed that biochar had a large surface area and pore volume (313.91 m 2 /g; 0.45 cm 3 /g); these values were significantly higher than polypropylene microplastics (7.04 m 2 /g; 0.007 cm 3 /g).Biochar's pores were mainly micropores (less than 2 nm), while polypropylene's ones were mesopores (2 to 50 nm).Batch experiments were conducted following the influencing factors.Adsorption data indicated that Freundlich, Sips, and Redlich-Peterson isotherms were suitable for Cr(VI) adsorption by biochar.The Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson isotherms described well the adsorption of Cr(VI) well by the mixture of biochar and polypropylene microplastics.For kinetic data, second-order kinetics was more suitable than first-order kinetics for Cr(VI) adsorption onto the materials.The Elovich diffusion and liquid film diffusion models are suitable for describing the adsorption pathway of Cr(VI) on a mixture of microplastics and biochar.In conclusion, microplastics significantly affect the adsorption of Cr(VI) by biochar.