Removal of caffeine from water using clay-biochar supported zero valent iron nanocomposite

Author

Mutandiro, Emmanuel A.

Title

Removal of caffeine from water using clay-biochar supported zero valent iron nanocomposite

Abstract

In this study, Clay-Biochar supported nano zerovalent iron composite was synthesized following reduction of iron by sodium borohydride. The composite was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. The removal of Caffeine by C-B-nZVI was examined under various experimental conditions. The composite showed up to 98% removal at pH 7, 30 minutes contact time, 1 g adsorbent dosage, 2 mg/L initial Caffeine concentration and all temperatures. The adsorption equilibrium was fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Adsorption favoured Langmuir isotherm to a great extend with a correlation factor (R2) of 0.992 for Langmuir and 0.6789 for Freudlich. The reaction kinetics was pseudo-second order. The results showed high efficiency of clay, and biochar as support materials for nano zerovalent iron. The C-B-nZVI composite has great potential for use as an adsorbent to remediate water from emerging organic micropollutants such as caffeine.

Date

2023

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Nano zerovalent iron

Caffeine

Water purification

Clay bio-char ardsoption

Supervisor

Dr Munzeiwa, W.