This research study investigates the efficacy of utilizing biochar obtained from cotton crop residues for the enhanced remediation of p-nitrophenol (PNP). Cotton crop residue-derived biochar (CCB) was prepared using 1N phosphoric acid and subsequently characterized. Batch adsorption experimental analysis were conducted to assess the optimal adsorption capacity of CCB for PNP under various conditions, including temperature, pH, interaction time, initial PNP concentration, and dosage of biochar. The results demonstrated optimal adsorption capacity of 55.38 mg/g at pH 5.0, initial PNP concentration of 100 mg L-1 , and biochar dosage of 200 mg at a room temperature of 298 K. The experimental adsorption data exhibited an excellent correlation with the Redlich-Peterson isotherm model. Analysis of the sorption kinetics revealed that the material's uptake behavior closely followed a pseudo-second-order model. Thermodynamics analysis unveiled that the adsorption of PNP onto CCB was exothermic, spontaneous, and primarily driven by enthalpy. Overall, the findings suggest that CCB exhibits promising potential as an efficient adsorbent for the remediation of aquatic environments afflicted with presence of PNP.
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