Toxic chemicals from wastewater removed with Canada's eco-friendly method

Researchers at Dalhousie University have developed an eco-friendly and cost-effective method to remove toxic chemicals from wastewater by converting agricultural and forestry waste into magnetic carbon adsorbents. Using flax shives and eucalyptus sawdust, the team employed hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) to transform these biomass materials into carbon-rich solids called hydrochars. By incorporating iron during the process, the resulting magnetic hydrochars can be easily separated from treated water using magnets, eliminating the need for expensive filtration systems. The study, published in Sustainable Carbon Materials, demonstrated the hydrochars’ effectiveness in adsorbing pentachlorophenol (PCP), a persistent and highly toxic pollutant found in industrial and agricultural wastewater. The flax-based hydrochar removed up to 95% of PCP, while the eucalyptus-based version achieved nearly 89% removal, maintaining high efficiency over six reuse cycles with minimal iron leaching. This innovation not only offers a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment but also adds value to lignocellulosic