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Valorizing Date Seeds into Biochar for Pesticide Removal: A Sustainable Approach to Agro-Waste-Based Wastewater Treatment

Author

Listed:
  • Ivana Mihajlović

    (Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Ali Hgeig

    (Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Nalut University, Nalut, Libya)

  • Mladenka Novaković

    (Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Vesna Gvoić

    (Department of Graphic Engineering and Design, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Dejan Ubavin

    (Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Maja Petrović

    (Department of Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan

    (College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China)

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of emerging pesticides in aquatic ecosystems poses significant risks to environmental and human health. This study explores the valorization of date seeds—an abundant agro-waste in arid and semi-arid regions—into functional biochar for the adsorption of emerging pesticides from contaminated wastewater. Biochar was synthesized via pyrolysis at 550 °C for 30 min under a nitrogen atmosphere and characterized using BET and FT-IR techniques. The prepared date seed biochar (DSBC) exhibited a high specific surface area of 307.45 m 2 /g and a well-developed microporous structure conducive to pollutant adsorption. The optimized DSBC achieved maximum adsorption capacities of 28.3 mg/g for carbendazim and 25.7 mg/g for linuron. The removal efficiency exceeded 90% for all pesticides at pH 6–8 and equilibrium was reached within 60 min. Regeneration tests demonstrated that DSBC retained its removal efficiency of 60.3% and 75.5% for carbendazim and linuron, respectively, after tenth cycles, highlighting its reusability and cost-effectiveness. Significant performance potential was demonstrated via the formed biochar regarding stability when exposed to real wastewater composition. Overall, date seed biochar presents a sustainable, low-cost, and efficient solution for mitigating pesticide pollution in wastewater treatment systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivana Mihajlović & Ali Hgeig & Mladenka Novaković & Vesna Gvoić & Dejan Ubavin & Maja Petrović & Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan, 2025. "Valorizing Date Seeds into Biochar for Pesticide Removal: A Sustainable Approach to Agro-Waste-Based Wastewater Treatment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-32, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:5129-:d:1671078
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