Dual-Metal-Doped Perovskite Adsorbents for Efficient Removal of Humic Acid

Humic acid (HA), a complex organic compound of natural matter, is harmless on its own but can form carcinogenic disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids during water chlorination and disinfection processes, posing serious risks to aquatic organisms and human health. We present a B-site dual-metal-doping strategy to fabricate ferromagnetic perovskite-type adsorbents for rapid and efficient HA degradation. Through B-site modification with Ti and Co, the resulting perovskite absorbent exhibits a rapid HA adsorption rate with a high adsorption capacity of 381 mg/g. We demonstrate that the adsorbent can be regenerated in situ or magnetically recovered for Fenton regeneration. The dynamic adsorption behavior of HA is accurately described and predicted by the Bed Depth Service Time (BDST), Thomas, and Yoon-Nelson models while computational simulations provide insights into the interactions between the perovskite adsorbent and HA molecules. Our findings reveal the potential of perovskite materials as highly effective catalytic adsorbents for organic compounds that can be efficiently regenerated, paving the way for their development in water remediation applications.