Mesoporous Activated Biochar from Crab Shell with Enhanced Adsorption Performance for Tetracycline

Abstract

In this study, three mesoporous-activated crab shell biochars were prepared by carbonation and chemical activation with KOH (K−CSB), H3PO4 (P−CSB), and KMnO4 (M−CSB) to evaluate their tetracycline (TC) adsorption capacities. Characterization by SEM and a porosity analysis revealed that the K−CSB, P−CSB, and M−CSB possessed a puffy, mesoporous structure, with K−CSB exhibiting a larger specific surface area (1738 m2/g). FT-IR analysis revealed that abundant, surface ox-containing functional groups possessed by K−CSB, P−CSB, and M−CSB, such as −OH, C−O, and C=O, enhanced adsorption for TC, thereby enhancing their adsorption efficiency for TC. The maximum TC adsorption capacities of the K−CSB, P−CSB, and M−CSB were 380.92, 331.53, and 281.38 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics data of the three TC adsorbents fit the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order model. The adsorption mechanism involved aperture filling, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic action, π-π EDA action, and complexation. As a low-cost and highly effective adsorbent for antibiotic wastewater treatment, activated crab shell biochar has enormous application potential.