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Oil palm leaf-derived nanoporous carbon via hydrothermal carbonization combined with NaOH microwave activation for tetracycline adsorption
Author(s)
Chanpee, Sirayu
Apinyakul, Naruemon
Kaewtrakulchai, Napat
Date Issued
November 1, 2025
Type
Article
Abstract
Generally, the increase in pharmaceutical industrial activities has led to a corresponding rise in water resource contamination. Efforts have been dedicated to addressing the urgent challenge of waste biomass disposal by developing recycling methods capable of producing bio-adsorbents. Adsorption is a promising approach for removing tetracycline contaminants, owing to its simplicity, stability, and cost-effectiveness. In this study, a low-cost activated biochar was successfully developed using oil palm leaf (OPL) via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) combined microwave-assisted pyrolysis system (MAPS) using sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The HTC and MAPS processes enhanced high mass yield, porosity, energy efficiency, and reduced reaction time. NaOH treatment improved the porosity of the activated biochar derived from OPL, resulting primarily in a mesoporous structure. However, NaOH treatment via the MAPS process increased surface area and porosity. Among the samples tested, OPLC-NaOH-1:1 exhibited the largest surface area and highest porosity, making it the chosen candidate for further TC adsorption tests. The adsorption experiments revealed that the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model accurately matched the experimental data, suggesting a mono-layered adsorption mechanism due to micropores and chemisorption interactions. Additionally, thermodynamic analysis indicated an endothermic and spontaneous reaction during the adsorption process. The adsorption of nanoporous carbon for TC was primarily regulated by pore filling, hydrogen bonding, electrostatic effects, and π-π interactions also playing a significant role. Overall, this study highlights the potential of utilizing OPL waste as a sustainable material for producing nanoporous carbon and underscores the effectiveness of nanoporous carbon for adsorbing antibiotics.
Citation
Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 15(22), 28687-28700, 2025