SpringerLink
Log in

A novel nano-cerium oxide functionalized biochar composite for degradation of organic dye: insight of the photocatalysis mechanism

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently, visible-light-driven photocatalysis attracts much concerns in the remediation of environmental organic pollutants. In this study, the cerium doped biochar was fabricated through the hydrothermal method, and served as an efficient photocatalyst towards rhodamine B degradation under visible light irradiation. Almost 100% of rhodamine B was removed by 2.0 g·L−1 cerium doped biochar after 60 min of visible light irradiation at pH 3, but only about 25.50% and 29.60% of rhodamine B was removed by cerium dioxide and biochar under identical conditions. The degradation process coincided well with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, and the photodegradation rate constant of cerium doped biochar was 0.0485·min−1, which was respectively 97 and 44 times that of biochar (0.0005·min−1) and cerium dioxide (0.0011·min−1). According to the trap** experiments and electron spin resonance spectroscopy analysis, h+, O2−∙ and ∙OH all participated in the degradation of rhodamine B in the cerium doped biochar photocatalytic systems, and the function of h+ and ∙OH was dominated. Consequently, the biochar could not only be an excellent carrier for supporting cerium dioxide, but also greatly improved its photocatalytic activity. The band gap of cerium doped biochar was narrower than cerium dioxide, which could improve the separation and migration of photogenerated electron–hole pairs under visible-light excitation, thus ultimately enhanced the degradation of rhodamine B. This work provided a deeper understanding of the preparation of biochar-based photocatalyst and its application in the remediation of environmental organic pollution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information).

References

  • Allah MAAH, Ibrahim H, Alshamsi HA, Saud HR (2024) Eco-friendly synthesis of biochar supported with zinc oxide as a heterogeneous catalyst for photocatalytic decontamination of Rhodamine B under sunlight illumination. J Photoch Photobio A 449:115413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balakrishnan A, Kunnel ES, Sasidharan R, Chinthala M, Kumar A (2023) 3D black g-C3N4 isotype heterojunction hydrogels as a sustainable photocatalyst for tetracycline degradation and H2O2 production. Chem Eng J 475:146163

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balakrishnan A, Chinthala M, Polagani RK (2024) 3D kaolinite/g-C3N4-alginate beads as an affordable and sustainable photocatalyst for wastewater remediation. Carbohyd Polym 323:121420

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhavani P, Hussain M, Park YK (2022) Recent advancements on the sustainable biochar based semiconducting materials for photocatalytic applications: A state of the art review. J Clean Prod 330:129899

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhuvanendran N, Ravichandran S, Kandasamy S, Zhang W, Su H (2021) Spindleshaped CeO2/biochar carbon with oxygen-vacancy as an effective and highly durable electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction. Int J Hydrog Energy 46:2128–2142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen F, Yang Q, Li X, Zeng G, Wang D, Niu C, Zhao J, An H, **e T, Deng Y (2017) Hierarchical assembly of graphene-bridged Ag3PO4/Ag/BiVO4 (040) Z-scheme photocatalyst: An effificient, sustainable and heterogeneous catalyst with enhanced visible-light photoactivity towards tetracycline degradation under visible light irradiation. Appl Catal B-Environ 200:330–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen F, Huang GX, Yao FB, Yang Q, Zheng YM, Zhao QB, Yu HQ (2020) Catalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin by a visible-light-assisted peroxymonosulfate activation system: Performance and mechanism. Water Res 173:115559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen F, Liu LL, Chen JJ, Li WW, Chen YP, Zhang YJ, Wu JH, Mei SC, Yang Q, Yu HQ (2021) Efficient decontamination of organic pollutants under high salinity conditions by a nonradical peroxymonosulfate activation system. Water Res 191:116799

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen F, Liu LL, Wu JH, Rui XH, Chen JJ, Yu Y (2022) Single-atom iron anchored tubular g-C3N4 catalysts for ultrafast Fenton-like reaction: Roles of high-valency iron-oxo species and organic radicals. Adv Mater 34:2202891

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng L, Zhang Y, Fan W, Ji Y (2022) Synergistic adsorption-photocatalysis for dyes removal by a novel biochar–based Z-scheme heterojunction BC/2ZIS/WO3: Mechanistic investigation and degradation pathways. Chem Eng J 445:136677

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan H, Li L (2022) Interfacial optimization of oxygen-vacancy-induced 1D/2D CeO2 nanotubes/g-C3N4 step-scheme heterojunction with enhanced visible-light photocatalysis and mechanism insight. J Alloy Compd 923:166330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang G, Liu C, Wang Y, Dionysiou DD, Zhou D (2017) Photogeneration of reactive oxygen species from biochar suspensionfor diethyl phthalate degradation. Appl Catal B Environ 214:34–45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fazal T, Razzaq A, Javed F, Hafeez A, Rashid N, Amjad US, Rehman MSU, Faisal A, Rehman F (2020) Integrating adsorption and photocatalysis: A cost effective strategy for textile wastewater treatment using hybrid biochar-TiO2 composite. J Hazard Mater 390:121623

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fito J, Kefeni KK, Nkambule TTI (2022) The potential of biochar-photocatalytic nanocomposites for removal of organic micropollutants from wastewater. Sci Total Environ 829:154648

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He J, **ao Y, Tang J, Chen H, Sun H (2019) Persulfate activation with sawdust biochar in aqueous solution by enhanced electron donor-transfer effect. Sci Total Environ 690:768–777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hou N, Li X, Jiang X, Zhang N, Wang R, Li D (2022) The role of biochar in the photocatalytic treatment of amixture of Cr(VI) and phenol pollutants: Biochar as a carrier for transferring and storing electrons. Sci Total Environ 844:157145

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeon P, Lee ME, Baek K (2017) Adsorption and photocatalytic activity of biochar with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). J Taiwan Inst Chem E 77:244–249

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang X, Liu J, Han X, Wang F, Zhang D, Fan P, Yi W (2024) Amino-grafted biochar as a novel photocatalyst for degradation of high concentration dye. J Environ Manage 352:119989

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kang F, Shi C, Li W, Eqi M, Liu Z, Zheng X, Huang Z (2022) Honeycomb like CdS/sulphur- modified biochar composites with enhanced adsorption-photocatalytic capacity for effective removal of rhodamine B. J Environ Chem Eng 10:106942

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li S, Wang Z, Zhao X, Yang X, Liang G, **e X (2019) Insight into enhanced carbamazepine photodegradation over biochar-based magnetic photocatalyst Fe3O4/BiOBr/BC under visible LED light irradiation. Chem Eng J 360:600–611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Li P, Zhang L, Chen M, Tang J, Qin C, Lee SLJ, Lin S (2022) Facile fabrication of ZnO decorated ZnFe-layered double hydroxides@biochar nanocomposites for synergistic photodegradation of tetracycline under visible light. Chem Eng J 434:134772

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Tang X, Wang J, Zeng Q, Chen H, Ren W, Sun J, Zhang H (2021) Enhanced visible-light photocatalysis of clofibric acid using graphitic carbon nitride modified by cerium oxide nanoparticles. J Hazard Mater 405:124204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu D, Zhang S, Wang JM, Peng TY, Li RJ (2019) Direct Z-Scheme 2D/2D photocatalyst based on ultrathin g-C3N4 and WO3 nanosheets for efficient visible-light-driven H2 generation. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11:27913–27923

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Shen Z, Song J, Qi H, Yin C, Zou X, **a Q, Cui L, Li X, Wang Y (2020a) Honeycomb-like g-C3N4/CeO2-x nanosheets obtained via one step hydrothermal-roasting for efficient and stable Cr(VI) photo-reduction. Chinese Chem Lett 31:2747–2751

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu JL, Luo K, Li XM, Yang Q, Wang DB, Wu Y, Chen Z, Huang XD, Pi ZJ, Du WJ, Guan ZL (2020b) The biochar-supported iron-copper bimetallic composite activating oxygen system for simultaneous adsorption and degradation of tetracycline. Chem Eng J 402:126039

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo K, Yang Q, Pang Y, Wang DB, Li X, Lei M, Huang Q (2019) Unveiling the mechanism of biochar-activated hydrogen peroxide on the degradation of ciprofloxacin. Chem Eng J 374:520–530

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo K, Lin N, Li X, Pang Y, Wang L, Lei M, Yang Q (2023) Efficient hexavalent chromium removal by nano-cerium oxide functionalized biochar: Insight into the role of reduction. J Environ Chem Eng 11:110004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma R, Islam MJ, Reddy DA, Kim TK (2016) Transformation of CeO2 into a mixed phase CeO2/Ce2O3 nanohybrid by liquid phase pulsed laser ablation for enhanced photocatalytic activity through Z-scheme pattern. Ceram Int 42:18495–18502

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma R, Zhang S, Li L, Gu P, Wen T, Khan A, Li S, Li B, Wang S, Wang X (2019) Enhanced visible-light-induced photoactivity of type-II CeO2/g-C3N4 nanosheet toward organic pollutants degradation. ACS Sustain Chem Eng 7:9699–9708

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma ZP, Zhang L, Ma X, Zhang YH, Shi FN (2022) Design of Z-scheme g-C3N4/BC/Bi25FeO40 photocatalyst with unique electron transfer channels for efficient degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride waste. Chemosphere 289:133262

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mao W, Wang T, Wang H, Zou S, Liu S (2018) Novel Bi2WO6 loaded g-C3N4 composites with enhanced photocatalytic degradation of dye and pharmaceutical wastewater under visible light irradiation. J Mater Sci Mater Electron 29:15174–15182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ouyang D, Chen Y, Yan J, Qian L, Han L, Chen M (2019) Activation mechanism of peroxymonosulfate by biochar for catalytic degradation of 1,4-dioxane: Important role of biochar defect structures. Chem Eng J 370:614–624

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qiao D, Li Z, Duan J, He X (2020) Adsorption and photocatalytic degradation mechanism of magnetic graphene oxide/ZnO nanocomposites for tetracycline contaminants. Chem Eng J 400:125952

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi H, Wang M, Wang B, Huang Q, Gao S (2020) Insights on photochemical activities of organic components and minerals in dissolved state biochar in the degradation of atorvastatin in aqueous solution. J Hazard Mater 392:122277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao XQ, Long R, Wu D, Hu YG, Qiu GH, Li ZM, Qi BX, Jiang RB, **ong YJ (2020) Anchoring positively charged Pd single atoms in ordered porous ceria to boost catalytic activity and stability in Suzuki coupling reactions. Small 16:2001782

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wan Z, Sun Y, Tsang DCW, Xu Z, Khan E, Liu SH, Cao X (2020) Sustainable impact of tartaric acid as electron shuttle on hierarchical ironincorporated biochar. Chem Eng J 395:125138

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang P, Yuan Q (2021) Photocatalytic degradation of tetracyclines in liquid digestate: Optimization, kinetics and correlation studies. Chem Eng J 410:128327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang T, Liu S, Mao W, Bai Y, Chiang K, Shah K, Paz-Ferreiro J (2020) Novel Bi2WO6 loaded N-biochar composites with enhanced photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and Cr(VI). J Hazard Mater 389:121827

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Cai X, **e X, Li S, Zhang X, Wang Z (2021) Visible-LED-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin by magnetic biochar modified flower-like Bi2WO6: The synergistic effects, mechanism insights and degradation pathways. Sci Total Environ 764:142879

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Welter N, Leichtweis J, Silvestri S, Sánchez PIZ, Mejía ACC, Carissimi E (2022) Preparation of a new green composite based on chitin biochar and ZnFe2O4 for photo-Fenton degradation of Rhodamine B. J Alloy Compd 901:163758

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu C (2015) Solvothermal synthesis of N-doped CeO2 microspheres with visible light-driven photocatalytic activity. Mater Lett 139:382–384

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang X, Luo K, Pi Z, Shen P, Zhou P, He L, Li X, Yang Q (2023a) Insight to the mechanism of tetracycline removal by ball-milled nanocomposite CeO2/Fe3O4/Biochar: Overlooked degradation behavior. Sep Purif Technol 307:122703

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Li X, Tian Q, Pan A, Liu X, Yin H, Shi Y, Fang G (2023b) Synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis of BiOBr/lignin-biochar composites with oxygen vacancies under visible light irradiation. J Ind Eng Chem 117:117–129

  • Yu C, Tang J, Liu F, Chen Y (2021) Green synthesized nanosilver-biochar photocatalyst for persulfate activation under visible-light illumination. Chemosphere 284:131237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yue L, Zhang XM (2009) Structural characterization and photocatalytic behaviors of doped CeO2 nanoparticles. J Alloy Compd 475:702–705

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Miao X, **ang W, Zhang J, Cao C, Wang H, Hu X, Gao B (2021a) Ball milling biochar with ammonia hydroxide or hydrogen peroxide enhances its adsorption of phenyl volatile organic compounds (VOCs). J Hazard Mater 403:123540

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang WJ, Dong TY, Cheng HW, Wu HJ, Wu CX, Hu AB, Wang DS (2021b) Preparation of composite sludge carbon-based materials by LDHs conditioning and carbonization and its application in the simultaneous removal of dissolved organic matter and phosphate in sewage. Chemosphere 270:129485

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao W, She T, Zhang J, Wang G, Zhang S, Wei W, Yang G, Zhang L, **a D, Cheng Z, Huang H, Leung DYC (2021) A novel Z-scheme CeO2/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst for degradation of Bisphenol A and hydrogen evolution and insight of the photocatalysis mechanism. J Mater Sci Technol 85:18–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu SS, Huang XC, Yang XB, Peng P, Li ZP, ** C (2020) Enhanced transformation of Cr(VI) by heterocyclic-N within nitrogen-doped biochar: impact of surface modulatory persistent free radicals (PFRs). Environ Sci Technol 54:8123–8132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This research was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (No. 52000013), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (Nos. 2023JJ30078, 2022JJ40622), and the Scientific Research Foundation of Hunan Provincial Education Department, China (No. 22A0594 and 22A0593).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, 410022, People’s Republic of China

    Kun Luo, Shu Jiang, Zixin Yang, Xue Li & Ya Pang

  2. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, People’s Republic of China

    Qi Yang

Authors
  1. Kun Luo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shu Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zixin Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xue Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ya Pang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Qi Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Kun Luo: methodology, writing-reviewing and editing, supervision, funding acquisition. Shu Jiang: methodology, visualization, data writing-original draft preparation. Zixin Yang: visualization, data writing-original draft preparation, software. Xue Li: visualization, investigation, software. Ya Pang: software, validation. Qi Yang: resources, conceptualization, methodology, writing-reviewing and editing, supervision, funding acquisition.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qi Yang.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Sami Rtimi

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 19 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Luo, K., Jiang, S., Yang, Z. et al. A novel nano-cerium oxide functionalized biochar composite for degradation of organic dye: insight of the photocatalysis mechanism. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 28658–28670 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32828-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32828-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation