Researchers from Northeast Normal University in China have developed a new material made from invasive plant biomass that can efficiently remove excess fluoride from groundwater while creating a productive use for invasive plant residues, The New Indian Express reported.
The team developed a nano-magnesium oxide modified pyro-hydrochar, known as nMgO/Py-HyC, using residues of the invasive plant Rhus typhina. The material achieved a maximum fluoride adsorption capacity of 469.64 milligrams per gram, performing better than the magnesium oxide (MgO)-based adsorbents compared in the study.
The researchers first converted Rhus typhina biomass into hydrochar, a carbon-rich solid produced by heating wet organic waste or biomass in water under moderate heat and pressure. They then used a relatively simple pyrolysis process to produce the magnesium-containing composite.
The resulting porous carbon structure helped distribute nano-MgO particles and created numerous sites capable of capturing fluoride from water.
Fluoride occurs naturally in groundwater, but industrial activities can increase its concentration to harmful levels, creating environmental and public health concerns. Effective water treatment technologies are therefore needed to reduce excessive fluoride in contaminated water.
The researchers said the findings highlight the potential of invasive plants as a raw material for addressing fluoride contamination while also making use of unwanted biomass.
However, further research is needed to test the material under different real-world wastewater conditions and assess its performance at an engineering scale.
The study provides a potential basis for developing high-efficiency, low-carbon technologies for fluoride removal using invasive plant biomass.
