Kinetics and regression analysis of phenanthrene adsorption on the nanocomposite of CaO and activated carbon: Characterization, regeneration, and mechanistic approach

In the present study, calcium oxide supported on activated carbon (CaO@AC) nanocomposite was synthesized using Basil leaf extract as a promoter and used to remove phenanthrene, an environmental pollutant, from aqueous solution. The activated carbon (AC) was prepared by the carbonization of Palm shells under pyrolytic conditions. The CaO@AC nanocomposite was characterized by FTIR, SEM-EDX, BET, and PXRD. The characterized CaO@AC nanocomposite was employed as an adsorbent for selective removal of phenanthrene from wastewater, maintaining the optimized conditions at initial phenanthrene concentration (5 mg/L), catalyst dosage (1 g), temperature (30 degrees C), and pH (7.6) for all batches. The adsorption isotherm and the kinetic studies for regression analysis were well fitted for the Freundlich model (R-2 = 0.9956) and non-linear Pseudo (II order) mechanism (R-2 = 0.9942). The results showed that the type IV linear form of pseudo-II order kinetic expression was inadequate for the kinetic rate parameters compared to the type I - III models. The CaO@AC was demonstrated as an inexpensive, scalable, recyclable, and eco-friendly adsorbent material for removing phenanthrene from wastewater. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, a CaO@AC nanocomposite was synthesized using Basil leaf extract as a promoter for the removal of phenanthrene from aqueous solutions. The nanocomposite showed good adsorption performance, and was demonstrated to be a low-cost, recyclable, and eco-friendly adsorbent for removing phenanthrene from wastewater.