Modification of sugarcane bagasse with iron(III) oxide-hydroxide to improve its adsorption property for removing lead(II) ions

Lead contamination in wastewater results in toxicity of aquatic life and water quality, it is recommended to remove lead before discharging. Four sugarcane bagasse adsorbent materials of sugarcane bagasse powder (SB), sugarcane bagasse powder doped iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (SBF), sugarcane bagasse powder beads (SBB), and sugarcane bagasse powder doped iron(III) oxide-hydroxide beads (SBFB) were synthesized and characterized with various techniques. Their lead removal efficiencies were investigated by batch experiments on the effects of dose (0.1–0.6 g), contact time (1–6 h), pH (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), and concentration (5–30 mg/L), adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and desorption experiments. All materials were amorphous phases presenting specific peaks of cellulose. SBB and SBFB detected sodium alginate peaks, and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide peaks were detected in SBF and SBFB. SB and SBF were scales or overlapping plate surfaces whereas SBB and SBFB had spherical shapes with coarse surfaces. The main functional groups of O–H, C=O, C–H, C–O, and C=C were observed in all materials, whereas Fe–O and –COOH were only found in materials with adding iron(III) oxide-hydroxide or bead material. The point of zero charges (pH(pzc)) of all materials was higher than 4. The optimum conditions of SB, SBF, SBB, and SBFB with the highest lead removal efficiency at a lead concentration of 10 mg/L and pH 5 were 0.6 g and 6 h (96.08%), 0.2 g and 3 h (100%), 0.2 g and 2 h (98.22%), and 0. 1 g and 2 h (100%), respectively. Since SBFB spent less adsorbent dose and contact time than other materials with a lead removal efficiency of 100%, it was a more potential adsorbent than other materials. Thus, adding iron(III) oxide-hydroxide and changing material form helped to improve material efficiencies for lead adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacities of SB, SBF, SBB, and SBFB were 6.161, 27.027, 23.697, and 57.471 mg/L, respectively by fitting the Langmuir model. Langmuir isotherm was best fitted for SB and SBB, whereas the Freundlich model was best fitted for SBF and SBFB. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was best fitted for all materials. Moreover, all adsorbents could be reused for more than 5 cycles with the lead removal efficiency of more than 73%. Therefore, SBFB was potential material to further apply for lead removal in industrial applications.