Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is one of the most toxic heavy metals found in industrial wastewater, so many researchers are working to develop efficient and environmentally friendly removal methods. It has been reported that natural biomass and its derivatives can be used to treat wastewaters contain...

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Main Authors: Hanui Yang, Namgyu Kim, Donghee Park
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-07-01
Series:Separations
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/10/8/430
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author Hanui Yang
Namgyu Kim
Donghee Park
author_facet Hanui Yang
Namgyu Kim
Donghee Park
author_sort Hanui Yang
collection DOAJ
description Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is one of the most toxic heavy metals found in industrial wastewater, so many researchers are working to develop efficient and environmentally friendly removal methods. It has been reported that natural biomass and its derivatives can be used to treat wastewaters containing Cr(VI). However, biomass with sufficient Cr(VI) removal performance to replace the existing chemical method, which is cheap and simple, has not been reported yet. This study reports that inexpensive, abundant, and commercially available pine bark has the highest Cr(VI) removal capacity (i.e., 376.3 mg/g) compared to biomass reported elsewhere. This value is six times higher than the theoretical value of an inorganic reducing agent (iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate). The main mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by pine bark was clearly identified through kinetic experiments, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, which were used to study the compositions, functional groups, and bonding states of pine bark. It was found that pine bark consists of various acidic functional groups that can act as electron donors to promote the removal of Cr(VI) through redox reactions. In conclusion, pine bark may be a promising candidate for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater, owing to its excellent removal capacity.
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spelling doaj.art-3008d395bf2142dfb6e9b6d6bb31eb132023-11-19T02:59:55ZengMDPI AGSeparations2297-87392023-07-0110843010.3390/separations10080430Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine BarkHanui Yang0Namgyu Kim1Donghee Park2Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju 26493, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju 26493, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju 26493, Republic of KoreaHexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is one of the most toxic heavy metals found in industrial wastewater, so many researchers are working to develop efficient and environmentally friendly removal methods. It has been reported that natural biomass and its derivatives can be used to treat wastewaters containing Cr(VI). However, biomass with sufficient Cr(VI) removal performance to replace the existing chemical method, which is cheap and simple, has not been reported yet. This study reports that inexpensive, abundant, and commercially available pine bark has the highest Cr(VI) removal capacity (i.e., 376.3 mg/g) compared to biomass reported elsewhere. This value is six times higher than the theoretical value of an inorganic reducing agent (iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate). The main mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by pine bark was clearly identified through kinetic experiments, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, which were used to study the compositions, functional groups, and bonding states of pine bark. It was found that pine bark consists of various acidic functional groups that can act as electron donors to promote the removal of Cr(VI) through redox reactions. In conclusion, pine bark may be a promising candidate for the removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater, owing to its excellent removal capacity.https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/10/8/430biosorptionpine barkhexavalent chromiumreductiondetoxification
spellingShingle Hanui Yang
Namgyu Kim
Donghee Park
Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark
Separations
biosorption
pine bark
hexavalent chromium
reduction
detoxification
title Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark
title_full Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark
title_fullStr Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark
title_full_unstemmed Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark
title_short Superior Removal of Toxic Cr(VI) from Wastewaters by Natural Pine Bark
title_sort superior removal of toxic cr vi from wastewaters by natural pine bark
topic biosorption
pine bark
hexavalent chromium
reduction
detoxification
url https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/10/8/430
work_keys_str_mv AT hanuiyang superiorremovaloftoxiccrvifromwastewatersbynaturalpinebark
AT namgyukim superiorremovaloftoxiccrvifromwastewatersbynaturalpinebark
AT dongheepark superiorremovaloftoxiccrvifromwastewatersbynaturalpinebark