Scavenging microplastics and heavy metals from water using jujube waste-derived biochar in fixed-bed column trials

Extensive production and utilization of plastic products have resulted in the generation of microplastics (MPs), subsequently polluting the environment. The efficiency of biochars (BCs) derived from jujube (Ziziphus jujube L.) biomass (300 °C and 700 °C) for nylon (NYL) and polyethylene (PE) removal from contaminated water was explored in fixed-bed column trials. The optimum pH for the removal of both MPs was found 7. Both of the produced biochars demonstrated >99% removal of the MPs, while the sand filter exhibited a maximum of 78% removal of MPs. BC produced at 700 °C (BC700) showed 33-fold higher MPs retention, while BC produced at 300 °C (BC300) exhibited 20-fold higher retention, as compared to sand filters, indicating the higher efficiency of BC produced at higher pyrolysis temperature. Entrapment into the pores, entanglement with flaky structures of the BCs, and electrostatics interactions were the major mechanism for MPs retention in BCs. The efficiency of MPs-amended BCs was further explored for the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) in fixed-bed column trials. BC700 amended with PE and NYL exhibited the highest 50% breakthrough time (2114.23 and 2024.61 min, respectively, for Pb(II) removal and 2107.92 and 1965.19 min, respectively, for Cd(II) removal), as compared to sand filters (38.07 and 60.49 min for Pb(II) and Cd(II) removal, respectively). Thomas model predicted highest adsorption capacity was exhibited by BC700 amended with PE (584.34 and 552.80 mg g−1, for Pb(II) and Cd(II) removal, respectively), followed by BC700 amended with NYL (557.65 and 210.59 mg g−1 for Pb(II) and Cd(II) removal, respectively). Therefore, jujube waste-derived BCs could be used as efficient adsorbents to remove PE and NYL from contaminated water, while MPs-loaded BCs can further be utilized for higher adsorption of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from contaminated aqueous media. These findings suggest that BC could be used as an efficient adsorbent to remove the co-existing MPs-metals ions from the environment on a sustainable basis.