Efficient removal of Cr(VI) and As(V) from an aquatic system using iron oxide supported typha biochar

The removal of Cr(VI) and As(V) from aqueous solutions has been a worldwide concern. In this study, Typha biochar (FBC) with magnetic iron oxide was prepared by impregnating Typha with FeCl3 and performing pyrolysis, and the possible mechanism of Cr(VI) and As(V) removal was investigated by combining characterization means and adsorption experiments. The results showed that the modified Typha biochar is rich in pores and has the potential to eliminate Cr and As through processes such as exchange and reduction. The single molecule uptake capacities of FBC for Cr(VI) and As(V) were 32.82 and 21.56 mg g−1, respectively. The adsorption process is spontaneous heat absorption, and the adsorption results are also consistent with the proposed secondary kinetic model. FBC still had >60% removal efficiency in the second and third reuse of Cr(VI), indicating its good recyclability. Therefore, this study confirms that FBC can effectively remove both Cr(VI) and As(V).