Preparation and characterization of a novel activated carbon from wheat dust and its adsorption mechanism for tetracycline hydrochloride

In this study, a method for preparing activated carbon (AC) from wheat dust (WD) was developed to achieve efficient removal of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The AC, prepared through response surface methodology with a carbonization temperature of 590 degrees C, a NaOH to WD ratio of 4:1, and an activation temperature of 800 degrees C, exhibited a high specific surface area of 2821.58 m2/g. It demonstrated a remarkable TCH removal capacity of 1414.65 mg/g in aqueous solution. The AC retained an adsorption capacity of 1035.36 mg/g after five cycles and maintained over 80% of its adsorption capacity in different water bodies. The adsorption of TCH by AC, primarily controlled by surface sites through chemical and physical interactions, involved mechanisms such as pore-filling, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, p-cation interactions, and p-p interactions. This study highlights the potential of WD in preparing effective adsorbents, providing valuable insights for the comprehensive utilization of similar byproducts. (c) 2024 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.