Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of biochar for removing Cd from aqueous solution. Biochars were produced from a Miscanthus sacchariflorus via slow pyrolysis at 300, 400, 500 and 600°C. Higher pyrolytic temperature resulted in biochar with a higher aromatic structure and fewer polar functional groups. In particular, pH and surface area of biochar increased greatly at pyrolytic temperatures ≥500°C, which increased Cd sorption capacity up to 13.24mgg-1 The diffuse-controlled Cd removal was likely due to a surface sorption or a precipitation reaction depending on pH. A simulation with the visual MINTEQ program indicated that the precipitate was Cd(OH)2. In addition, biochar treatment significantly removed the acute toxicity of Cd toward Daphnia magna , resulting in increase of EC50 (50% effective concentration) value from 0.16 to 0.76mgL-1
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 266-270 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Bioresource Technology |
Volume | 138 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2013 |
Keywords
- Biomass
- Heavy metal
- Slow pyrolysis
- Sorption
- Toxicity