REMOVAL OF CHROMIUM FROM WATER IN PRESENCE OF BISPHENOL A USING LOW-COST MAGNETIC CLAY-BIOCHAR ADSORBENT

Water pollution by heavy metals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals have become a critical environmental and public health concern. Among these contaminants, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and bisphenol A (BPA) are especially of concern due to their high toxicity in water. This study focused on the removal of both Cr in the presence of BPA in water using a low-cost magnetic biochar-clay (MBC) composite adsorbent which was prepared by limited air pyrolysis of feldspar clay, grape stalk biomass, and iron magnetic nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to examined functional groups and surface morphology, respectively. A series of batch experiments were performed to examine the effects of time, pH, and concentration. The FTIR showed that the MBC was truly a composite of all three starting materials with unique peaks, while the composite was a better porous material compared to any of the starting adsorbents. These characteristics are desirable for adsorption purposes. The adsorption results showed that the MBC could remove Cr in water irrespective of the presence of BPA. The adsorption of Cr was higher at lower pH, while higher solution concentration of Cr somewhat enhanced its adsorption on the MBC. In conclusion, the MBC could be a viable adsorbent for Cr removal from water. Further experiments are recommended using real wastewater.