Adsorptive Removal of Tetracyclines and Fluoroquinolones Using Yak Dung Biochar.

This study investigated the adsorptive removal of target fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines by biochar made by yak dung collected from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Yak dung biochar pyrolyzed at 700 °C possessed surface area of 198.745 m2 g-1 and multiple functional groups. Effects of different factors including biochar dosage, pH, temperature, and initial concentration on adsorption of antibiotics were discussed. The biochar dosage of 1 g L-1 was preferable for adsorptive removal of antibiotics. Adsorption of target antibiotics did not show pH-dependent features. Adsorption capacities of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines positively increased with temperature and initial concentration. Pseudo-second order model and the Freundlich model better fitted the experimental kinetic and isotherm data, respectively. Yak dung biochar provides a new idea on resource utilization of solid wastes and pollution control in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.