Bambal, et al (2024) Carbonization of golden shower pods to high surface area biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More for decontamination of cationic dyes and regeneration study by gamma radiations. Next Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxsust.2024.100064

The quest for sustainable water treatment methods has led researchers to explore natural, cost-effective solutions. A recent study has successfully transformed the pods of the golden shower tree (Cassia fistula) into a highly porous biochar (GSBC) that efficiently removes harmful cationic dyes from water. The biochar was produced through a carbonization process enhanced by phosphoric acid treatment, resulting in a material with a remarkable surface area of 1120 m²/g.

The research focused on three common dyes: Crystal Violet, Brilliant Green, and Methylene Blue, which are prevalent in industrial effluents. GSBC demonstrated a high adsorption capacity, with Langmuir isotherm models showing maximum dye adsorption of 208.86 mg/g, 284.35 mg/g, and 327.56 mg/g for the respective dyes. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, indicating a spontaneous and exothermic process.

Additionally, the study explored the regeneration of GSBC using gamma irradiation, finding that a 30 KGy dose effectively restored the biochar’s adsorption capacity with minimal efficiency loss after multiple cycles. This regeneration capability, combined with GSBC’s high efficiency, makes it a promising candidate for large-scale water purification.

The use of locally available biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More like golden shower pods not only provides an effective water treatment solution but also adds a sustainable dimension to environmental management, demonstrating the potential for broader application in water pollution control.