Influence of pyrolysis temperature on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons production and tetracycline adsorption behavior of biochar derived from spent coffee ground

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different pyrolysis temperatures on the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biochar originated spent coffee ground (SCG) and the tetracycline (TC) adsorption behavior of biochar in water. The results showed that biochar synthesized at 500 °C (SCG 500) contained low PAHs (600 µg kg−1) and the highest TC adsorption efficiency. In addition, the characteristics, influencing factors on TC adsorption, and the related mechanisms of SCG 500 were comprehensively investigated. The results showed that the highest efficiency was observed at pH of 7 and the presence of ions in salinity solution reduced the adsorption capacity of SCG 500. The electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and π-EDA were the major adsorption mechanisms. Safety PAHs level, low-cost, widely material sources and high TC removal capacity suggested that SCG 500 was a promising environmentally friendly effective absorbent.