Endogenous iron-enriched biochar derived from steel mill wastewater sludge for tetracycline removal: Heavy metals stabilization, adsorption performance and mechanism.

Steel mill wastewater sludge, as an iron-enriched solid waste, was expected to be converted into iron-enriched biochar with acceptable environmental risk by pyrolysis. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the chemical speciation transformation of heavy metals in biochar under various pyrolysis temperatures and its reutilization for tetracycline (TC) removal. The experimental data indicated that pyrolysis temperature was a key factor affecting the heavy metals speciation and bioavailability in biochar, and biochar with pyrolysis temperature at 450 °C was the most feasible for reutilization without potential risk. The endogenous iron-enriched biochar (FSB450) showed highly efficient adsorption towards TC, and its maximum adsorption capacity could reach 240.38 mg g-1, which should be attributed to its excellent mesoporous structure, abundant functional groups and endogenous iron cycling. The endogenous iron was converted to a stable iron oxide crystalline phase (Fe3O4 and MgFe2O4) by pyrolysis, which underwent a valence transition to form a coordination complex with TC by electron shuttling in the FSB450 matrix. The study provides a win-win approach for resource utilization of steel wastewater sludge and treatment of antibiotic contamination in wastewater.

Effect of pyrolytic temperatures on the 2,4-dichlorophenol adsorption performance of biochar derived from Populus nigra.

To investigate the correlation between the physicochemical properties of biochar and its adsorption performance for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), Populus nigra was subjected to oxygen-limited pyrolysis at temperatures ranging from 300 to 600 ℃. The experimental results showed that as the pyrolysis temperature increased, the specific surface area and degree of graphitization of the resultant biochar increased, but the amount of oxygen-containing functional groups decreased. Populus nigra biochar produced at 450 ℃ exhibits the best adsorption performance for 2,4-DCP due to its excellent physicochemical properties and greater electron exchange capability. The removal of 2,4-DCP is a multi-step adsorption process dominated by chemisorption, which involved oxygen-containing functional groups-mediated hydrogen bonding, as well as π-π electron donor-acceptor (EDA) interaction between the aromatic rings and Cl atoms. The study highlights the potential of Populus nigra residues for producing biochar as an affordable and effective adsorbent for 2,4-DCP removal.

Biochar from phytoremediation plant residues: a review of its characteristics and potential applications.

Phytoremediation is a cost-effective and eco-friendly plant-based approach promising technique to repair heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, a significant quantity of plant residues needs to be properly treated and utilized. Pyrolysis is an effective technology for converting residues to biochar, which can solve the problem and avoid secondary contamination. This paper reviews the generation, and physicochemical properties of biochar from phytoremediation residues, and its application in soil improvement, environmental remediation, and carbon sequestration. In spite of this, it is important to be aware of the potential toxicity of heavy metals in biochar and the environmental risks of biochar before applying it to practical applications. Future challenges in the production and application of residue-derived biochar include the rational selection of pyrolysis parameters and proper handling of potentially hazardous components in the biochar.