Removal of sulfamethazine and sulfamethazole from water using modified bamboo biochar

The sorption of antibiotics (emerging contaminants) sulfamethazine (SMT) and sulfamethazole (SMZ) from aqueous solution by acid modified biochar prepared from bamboo was evaluated. The physical and chemical properties of the modified biochar were characterized using FTIR, SEM and BET isotherm. Furthermore, batch sorption experiments were conducted under different pH to determine the optimum performance of modified biochars for SMT and SMZ. The sorption data were better fitted by the Freundlich isotherm than the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum Freundlich sorption capacity (KF) value was 40.78 mg1-n Ln gm-1 for SMT at pH 5.0-6.0 and 27.47 mg1-n Ln gm-1 for SMZ at pH 4.0-4.8. The sorption distribution coefficient value (Kd) ranged from 8955-83744 L kg-1 for SMT and 2606-154155 L kg-1 for SMZ. The sorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The results demonstrate that modified biochar can be used as an effective adsorbent for removing antibiotics SMT and SMZ from aqueous solution.