Impregnation of biochar with montmorillonite and its activation for the removal of azithromycin from aqueous media

An inexpensive and environmentally friendly composite synthesized from rice husk, impregnated with montmorillonite and activated by carbon dioxide, was investigated for the removal of azithromycin from an aqueous solution. Various techniques were used to characterize adsorbents in detail. The sorption process was primarily regulated by the solution pH, pollutant concentration, contact duration, adsorbent dose, and solution temperature. The equilibrium data were best analyzed using the nonlinear Langmuir and Sips (R(2) > 0.97) isotherms, which revealed that adsorption occurs in a homogenous manner. The adsorption capacity of pristine biochar and carbon dioxide activated biochar-montmorillonite composite was 33.4 mg g(−1) and 44.73 mg g(−1), respectively. Kinetic studies identified that the experimental data obeyed the pseudo-second-order and Elovich models (R(2) > 0.98) indicating the chemisorption nature of adsorbents. The thermodynamic parameters determined the endothermic and spontaneous nature of the reaction. The ion exchange, π-π electron-donor–acceptor (EDA) interactions, hydrogen-bonding, and electrostatic interactions were the plausible mechanisms responsible for the adsorption process. This study revealed that a carbon dioxide activated biochar-montmorillonite composite may be used as an effective, sustainable, and economical adsorbent for the removal of azithromycin from polluted water. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-023-27908-z.