Iron-modified biochar derived from sugarcane bagasse for adequate removal of aqueous imidacloprid: sorption mechanism study

Abstract Adsorption has been considered as a promising remediation technology to separate organic and inorganic agrochemicals from contaminated soil and water. Low-cost adsorbents, including waste derived materials, clay composites, biochar, and biochar modified materials, have attracted enormous attention for the removal of organic contaminants, including pesticides. In this study, iron-modified base-activated biochar (FeBBC) was prepared by pyrolysis (at 400 °C for 1 h) of iron-doped base (KOH) activated sugarcane bagasse for the removal of a widely used insecticide, namely imidacloprid (IMI) from water. The maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent (FeBBC) was calculated as 10.33 (± 1.57) mg/g from Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorbents could remove up to ~ 92% of IMI from aqueous solution at 23.8 mg/L IMI. Experimental data fitted well with the Freundlich model and pseudo-second-order model, demonstrating physisorption, as well as chemosorption, contributed to the sorption process. Even at highly acidic/basic solution pH, the FeBBC could remove substantial amount of IMI demonstrating hydrophobic interaction and pore diffusion play vital role for removal of IMI. The slight improving of IMI sorption with increasing solution pH indicated the sorption was also facilitated through ionic interaction alongside physical sorption. However, physical sorption including hydrophobic interaction and pore-filling interaction plays a vital role in the sorption of IMI.