Biomass activated carbon supported with high crystallinity and dispersion Fe3O4 nanoparticle for preconcentration and effective degradation of methylene blue

Biomass activated carbon (BAC) supported Fe3O4 nanoparticle (Fe3O4/BAC) was synthesized with solvothermal method and used as adsorbent and Fenton-like reagent for preconcentration and degradation of methylene blue (MB) from an aqueous solution in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The material was characterized with X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope, and the results all proved that magnetic nanoparticle was loaded on BAC successfully. The loaded Fe3O4 possessed high crystallinity, uniform particle size, and good dispersibility on BAC. Methylene blue (MB) was selected as a model pollutant to investigate the degradation performance in the presence of H2O2. The removal efficiency reached more than 98% for 100 mg/L MB with 1.2 of Fe3O4/BAC (1:2) and 0.23 mol/L of H2O2 under the condition of pH 7.0 and temperature of 30 degrees C. Over 80% of MB could be still removed after five times of recycle reaction. MB was adsorbed on the surface of the Fe3O4/BAC to form a surface composites by BAC, then Fe3O4 nanoparticle could produce hydroxyl radicals (center dot OH) through catalytic decomposition of H2O2, and the strong oxidizing center dot OH radicals could degrade MB effectively. The Fe3O4/BAC shows good potential for advanced oxidation of organic pollutants. (C) 2017 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.