Novel Adsorbent for Wastewater Treatment and Metal Recovery

Heavy metals are non-biodegradable and can contaminate in ecosystems and the food chain, making them one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Certain industrial practices have resulted in an increase in the amount of heavy metals discharged into wastewater which can then leach into or contaminate other water systems. This poses a severe risk to biodiversity and human health and mitigation methods are needed to ensure sustainable water resources for generations to come.

 

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed novel carbon-coated oil-treated plastic granules (C–OTPG) for wastewater treatment and metal recovery from aqueous solutions. By integrating designed functional biochar derived from biomass with end-of-life plastic granules a low-cost, scalable adsorbent can be produced which combines chemical reactivity and high adsorption with mechanical stability. This composite adsorbent effectively removes heavy metals, such as copper and iron, from water through complex adsorption mechanisms, including ion exchange and cation-π interactions, supported by both experimental and theoretical analyses.

 

This C-OTPG adsorbent is an innovative, sustainable material which combines biochar and recycled plastics for efficient recovery of heavy metals from aqueous solutions.

 

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