Preparation of ZnCl2-Activated Magnetic Biochar and Its Performance in Removing Hexavalent Chromium from Water

Magnetic biochar (Zn/Fe-BC) was prepared from jujube branches via an impregnation pyrolysis–coprecipitation technique to eliminate Cr(VI) from water. ZnFe2O4 was introduced through ZnCl2-based impregnation and pyrolysis, which can regulate the microstructure of hydrocarbon frameworks. Furthermore, FeSO4·7H2O was used as the precursor for co-precipitation to embed Fe3O4 into the material, improving its reducibility and magnetism. The results demonstrated that Zn/Fe-BC exhibited excellent Cr(VI) removal efficiency. Under optimal conditions (an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 50 mg/L, pH 2, and an adsorbent dosage of 2 g/L), the maximum adsorption capacity of Zn/Fe-BC reached 27.85 mg/g, which was significantly higher than that of unmodified biochar (23.20 mg/g). Following five cycles of adsorption and desorption, the desorption efficiency was still higher than 60.35%. The following were the inhibitory effects of coexisting anions on the elimination of Cr(VI): CO32− > PO43− > SO42− > NO3−. According to kinetic and isothermal adsorption experiments, the adsorption process adhered to the Freundlich isotherm and followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating a multilayer adsorption process. Cr(VI) removal by Zn/Fe-BC was driven by physical adsorption and chemical reduction, involving a synergistic combination of electrostatic attraction, reduction, complexation, precipitation, and pore filling. These findings demonstrate the potential of the Zn/Fe-BC magnetic biochar as an effective adsorbent for Cr(VI) remediation in water treatment applications.