Tetracycline adsorption onto rice husk ash, an agricultural waste: Its kinetic and thermodynamic studies

- A new biosorbent, rice husk ash (RHA), was investigated for antibiotics adsorption.
- Adsorption evaluation was achieved with equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic models.
- RHA is proved to be a relative efficient, eco-friendly adsorbent.
- RHA could be used as a potential material for antibiotics removal in wastewater treatment.

As an agricultural waste, rice husk ash (RHA) has the potential to be a viable alternative adsorbent for the removal of tetracycline (TC) from aqueous solution. This study aims to explore its feasibility of RHA as a new adsorbent, and understand its adsorption mechanism for TC. Also assessed in this study are the influences of initial concentration of TC, adsorption time, solution pH and temperature on RHA adsorption performance. It is found that TC removal efficiency of RHA is related to the initial concentration of TC solution. TC concentration decreases sharply within the first 60 min in its adsorption process, and then only gradually, reaching the equilibrium within 600 min. RHA adsorption capacity is related to solution pH, temperature, and ion intensity, especially at a high pH value. A rise of 313 K in temperature caused the adsorption capacity to more than double. Furthermore, low-acid and high-alkaline solution can accelerate the adsorption of TC onto RHA. The highest adsorption capacity of 8.37 mg/g achieved in this study is much higher than other adsorbates reported in the literature, indicating the feasibility of RHA as a new adsorbent. The Langmuir isotherm model is the most reasonable in depicting the adsorption behavior. The pseudo second order model fits the experimental data nicely, suggesting a mostly physical and chemical control over the adsorption. Such findings can serve as a useful guide in expanding the applicability of RHA to new areas.