Efficient Elimination of Inorganic/Organic Pollutants by FeO/biochar@sodium Alginate Gel Beads.

The magnetic composite gel bead (FeO-C@SA GB) adsorbent was prepared by sodium alginate (SA) crosslinking with pitaya peel-derived porous carbons (PPDPCs) and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO NPs). The adsorption effects of FeO-C@SA GBs on heavy metal ions (HMIs) and 17 β-estradiol (E2) in water are evaluated by classical kinetic models and isotherm models. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model shows that FeO-C@SA GBs have maximum adsorption capacities of 9.62, 7.50, and 13.61 mg/g for Cu (II), Cd (II), and Pb (II), respectively. Meanwhile, the highest adsorption performance of the synthesized gel beads to E2 is of ca. 276.3 mg/g. In addition, the FeO-C@SA GBs can still maintain a high level of adsorption efficiency after five adsorption cycles, displaying economic efficiency and reusability. Hence, this work provides useful insights into the efficient adsorption elimination of pollutants in sewage and the corresponding adsorption mechanisms.