Porous honeycomb cork biochar for efficient and highly selective removal of phosphorus from wastewater

In this study, an adsorbent (LCB) with rich honeycomb structure was prepared from cork waste generated from furniture factories for efficient adsorption of excess phosphorus (P) from wastewater. This adsorbent was successfully prepared in only one step, in situ precipitation method, which greatly simplified the synthesis process. Kinetic studies showed that when the initial concentration (C₀) of wastewater was 10 mg P L⁻¹, the P in the water could be completely adsorbed within 20 min. The adsorption efficiency of phosphorus was significantly improved compared to previous studies. When the C₀ of pollutant and the dosage of LCB were 20 mg P L⁻¹ and 0.5 g L⁻¹, respectively, the removal rate of P exceeded 99% in the pH range of 3–10, which indicates the wide applicability of LCB. In addition, the P adsorption capacity of LCB was 82.4% of its initial value after nine adsorption–desorption cycles, indicating that LCB has a high stability and can be widely used in different water environments. Therefore, LCB is a promising material for the treatment of P-containing wastewater.

Graphical Abstract