Desalination and Water Treatment 162 (2019) 391–398

September
www.deswater.com
doi: 10.5004/dwt.2019.24343

Fenton-based processes for the regeneration of biochar from

Syagrus coronata biomass used as dye adsorbent

Renata Silva de Limaa, Carmem Lúcia de Paiva e Silva Zantaa,*, Lucas Meilib,
Pollyanna Vanessa dos Santos Linsb, Grazielle Emanuella de Souza dos Santosb,
Josealdo Tonholoa
a
Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-900 Maceió AL, Brazil,
emails: clp@qui.ufal.br (C.L. de Paiva e Silva Zanta), renat_sl@hotmail.com (R.S. de Lima), tonholo@gmail.com (J. Tonholo)
b
Laboratory of Processes, Center of Technology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-900 Maceió AL, Brazil,
emails: lucas.meili@ctec.ufal.br (L. Meili), polly_lins91@hotmail.com (P.V. dos Santos Lins),
grazi.gess@hotmail.com (G.E. de Souza dos Santos)

Received 10 November 2018; Accepted 26 April 2019

abstract
The present work aims to evaluate the application of Fenton reaction as a method for the
adsorbent regeneration. The adsorbent was obtained by the thermal decomposition of Syagrus
coronata endocarp under vacuum at relatively low temperatures (i.e., 400°C and 800°C). The
biochar capacity of methylene blue removal was evaluated in function of time of contact, particle
diameter and pyrolysis temperature. The biochar was characterized by X-ray diffraction and ther-
mogravimetric analysis techniques. The highest adsorption capacity was 99.4%, obtained for 4.8 g
of adsorbent, pyrolysis at 800°C and particle diameter <0.149 mm. The data obtained from the
kinetic studies fitted better to the pseudo-second-order model, while the adsorption isotherms fol-
lowed Sips model. Fenton regeneration was conducted using a dye saturated biochar with Fenton
reagents at different concentrations of Fe2+ (0.5–1.0 mmol L–1) and H2O2 (100–2,400 mmol L–1) in
pH = 3.0 for 30 min. A maximum recovery of 19.31% of the adsorption capacity was obtained
using Fenton with Fe2+ 1.0 mmol L1 and H2O2 600 mmol L–1. Therefore, results showed that the
biochar of Syagrus coronata endocarp was effective to remove methylene blue from water solution
and Fenton reaction is a viable alternative of regeneration process of adsorbent agents.
Keywords: Regeneration; Biochar; Dye adsorption; Advanced oxidation processes

* Corresponding author.

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