One‐Step Construction of Quasi‐Activated Carbon Polymers With Oxygen and Chlorine Groups and Their Properties in Removing Tetracycline From Wastewater

ABSTRACT The pollution of tetracycline (TCs) in the aquatic environment has aroused widespread concern. Quasi‐activated carbon polymers poly(4,4′‐bis(chloromethyl)‐1,1′‐biphenyl) (SCBB) and poly(α,α'‐dichloro‐p‐xylene) (SCD) containing oxygen and chlorine groups were synthesized in one step through the self‐polycondensation reaction of 4,4′‐bis(chloromethyl)‐1,1′‐biphenyl and α,α’‐dichloro‐ p ‐xylene in the presence of water and oxygen, respectively, and their adsorption toward TC was evaluated in the absence and presence of Cu 2+ . The characterization revealed that the introduction of hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups stemmed from the coupling of the hydrolysis of the benzyl chloride group and oxidation with the self‐polycondensation. The adsorption behavior was fitted well by the two‐compartment first‐order and Langmuir models. The fast adsorption was dominant, and this process was endothermic. Due to the high adsorption affinity of Cu 2+ ‐TC complexation, the TC saturated adsorption capacities on SCBB and SCD increased from 433.05 and 377.69 mg·g −1 to 605.15 and 422.96 mg·g −1 in the presence of Cu 2+ at 25°C, respectively. The higher TC adsorption capacity on SCBB than SCD is attributed to the greater hydrophobicity, specific surface area, and pore size. SCBB and SCD exhibited excellent reusability. This study developed a simple method for constructing multiple functional groups on the surface of polymers, and the as‐prepared material has the application potential to remove TC.