This research aims to synthesize an efficient and cost-effective magnetized biochar adsorbent based on iron oxide-modified biochar derived from lemon peel for the removal of the pharmaceutical pollutant ibuprofen from aqueous solutions through UV assisted adsorption. Magnetized biochar is considered a desirable adsorbent due to its ease of separation and recovery. In this study, the physicochemical properties of the synthesized biochar before and after magnetization were investigated using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDS elemental mapping analyses. To optimize the removal process, the effects of various parameters, including adsorbent dosage (0.15, 0.25, and 0.35 g L−1), contact time (10–180 min), and initial ibuprofen concentration (5–30 mg L−1), on the pollutant removal efficiency were evaluated under UV irradiation. The results showed that the optimal conditions for ibuprofen removal included an adsorbent dosage of 0.35 g L−1, an initial ibuprofen concentration of 5 mg L−1, and a contact time of 180 min, under which conditions nearly complete (≈100%) ibuprofen removal was achieved. Kinetic analysis indicated that the removal process follows pseudo-second-order kinetics, while equilibrium data were better described by the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting that adsorption is the dominant mechanism governing ibuprofen removal in the UV-assisted system.
