Adsorption of brilliant cresyl blue using NaOH-activated biochar derived from sewage sludge

Abstract

The treatment of sewage wastewater generates a substantial amount of sludge, which poses significant ecotoxicological and environmental challenges. Managing this sludge is critical, as traditional disposal methods carry risks: agricultural use can lead to environmental contamination, while landfill disposal raises concerns about solid waste management and the preservation of landfill sites. Our research focuses on converting this urban sludge into activated carbon. We employed various techniques to characterize NaOH-activated biochar, including infrared (IR) analysis. BET analysis revealed a specific surface area of 62.35 m 2 /g. We also assessed NaOH-activated biochar for its effectiveness in adsorbing brilliant cresyl bleu (BCB). The SSE error calculations indicated a first-order adsorption, while the isotherms suggested a better fit with the Sips model, indicating heterogeneous adsorption with an ns value of 0.95. Our study highlights the effectiveness of biochar in adsorbing dyes such as brilliant cresyl bleu BCB.