Thorium adsorption by oxidized biochar fibres derived from Luffa cylindrica sponges

Abstract

The present study deals with the preparation of oxidized biochar fibres derived from Luffa cylindrica sponges and the subsequent adsorption of Th(IV). The adsorption experiments were performed by batch-type experiments and include the effect of various physiochemical parameters, as well as characterization of the solid phases by means of spectroscopic (FTIR) and XRD measurements. The experimental data are best described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model (R2 = 0.998) and the adsorbent was found to have a relatively high adsorption capacity (qmax = 70 mg g−1) even at pH 3, attributed to the formation of inner-sphere complexes.