Removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution by cattle manure-derived low temperature biochar

Biochar is a low cost and renewable adsorbent which can be used to remove dye from wastewater. Cattle manure-derived low temperature biochar (CMB) was studied to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution in this paper. The effect of factors including initial concentration of MB, dosage, contact time, and pH on the adsorption properties of MB onto biochar were studied. Characterization of the CMB and MB adsorbed on CMB was performed using techniques including BET, FTIR and SEM. The adsorption isotherm, kinetics, thermodynamics and mechanism were also studied. The results showed the equilibrium data were well fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model, and the saturation adsorption capacity of CMB200 was 241.99 mg g−1. Pseudo-second order kinetics was the most suitable model for describing the adsorption of MB onto biochar. The adsorption thermodynamics of MB on biochar showed that the adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Through zeta potential measurement, Boehm titration, cation exchange, deashing and esterification experiments, the importance of ash to adsorption was verified, as well as the adsorption mechanism. The adsorption mechanism of MB on CMB200 involved cation exchange, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, physical effects and others. This work shows that CMB200 holds promise to act as an effective adsorbent to remove MB in wastewater.