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The presence of organic dyes in the aquatic environment is a serious global problem because of the serious negative consequences on the quality of ecosystems. Among various physico-chemical methods, the adsorption could be considered a promising alternative for removing dyes from aqueous media, due to its efficiency, high selectivity, low cost, ease of operation, simplicity, and availability in a wide range of experimental conditions. However, all these advantages are closely related to the nature of adsorbent material used in the adsorption processes of dyes. The adsorbent materials available in large quantities requiring a simple preparation will enhance the benefits of the adsorption processes, in agreement with the concepts of green chemistry. This review is focused on the use of leaf-based materials, in raw or modified forms, as adsorbents for the removal of dyes from aqueous effluents, with applications in the wastewater treatment. This review addresses characterization of leaf-based adsorbents, possible utilization of leaf-based adsorbents (raw and activated forms) for dye removal and possible applications in pilot and full scale systems. Also, thermodynamics, equilibrium and kinetic parameters of dye adsorption on leaf-based adsorbents are discussed. The practical utility of leaf-based adsorbents for dye removal, and their possible uses in the treatment of industrial wastewater are copiously highlighted.

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The present study examined novel wheat straw biochar (WSB) and acid treated wheat straw biochar (AWSB) for cadmium removal from contaminated water. A series of batch and column scale experiments was conducted to evaluate the potential of WSB and AWSB for cadmium removal at different biochar dosage (0.5–8 g/L), initial cadmium concentration (5–100 mg/L), solution pH (2–8) and contact time (5–180 min). Results revealed that cadmium adsorption decreased by increasing biochar dosage from 0.5 to 8 g/L; however, optimum dosage for maximum (99%) removal of cadmium was 2 g/L by WSB and 1 g/L by AWSB. Enhanced cadmium removal potential by AWSB is attributed to increased surface area, microporosity and variation in functional groups. Equilibrium experimental data was well described by Freundlich adsorption isotherm whereas kinetic data were better explained with pseudo-second order model. Both WSB and AWSB have shown good adsorption capacity of 31.65 mg/g and 74.63 mg/g, respectively, that is comparable with other costly adsorbents. Columns packed with WSB and AWSB at laboratory scale have also shown good retention of cadmium with excellent reusability. These findings indicate that WSB especially AWSB could be a promising, cost-effective and environmental friendly strategy for the removal of metals from contaminated water.

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In recent years, numerous investigations have explored the use of biochar for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in single component systems. Biochar is a carbonaceous material produced from waste biomass, mainly by thermochemical conversion methods. This material was used as a biosorbent in various removal processes of pollutants, and its efficiency was strongly influenced by the characteristics of the biomass feedstock. This review integrates the recent works of literature to understand the biosorption behaviour of dyes onto biochar-based biosorbents. The factors influencing the biosorption process and the mechanisms describing the biosorption behaviours of the biochar have been broadly reviewed. Furthermore, the biosorption models can be used to comprehend the competence of the biochar as biosorbent for dye removal techniques. Graphical Abstract