Preparation and characterization of novel magnesium composite/walnut shells-derived biochar for as and p sorption from aqueous solutions
Frišták, Vladimír (Trnava University in Trnava. Department of Chemistry)
Pipíška, Martin (Trnava University in Trnava. Department of Chemistry)
Turčan, Vladimir (Trnava University in Trnava. Department of Chemistry)
Bell, Stephen Mackenzie (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Laughinghouse, H. Dail (University of Florida-IFAS. Agronomy Department)
Ďuriška, Libor (Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. Department of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava)
Soja, Gerhard (Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH. Energy Department)

Date:	2021
Abstract:	Elevated or unnatural levels of arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in soils and waterbodies from anthropogenic sources can present significant hazards for both natural ecosystems and human food production. Effective, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive materials, such as biochar, are needed to reduce mobility and bioavailability of As and P. While biochar features several physicochemical properties that make it an ideal contaminant sorbent, certain modifications such as mineral-impregnation can improve sorption efficiencies for targeted compounds. Here, we conducted sorption experiments to investigate and quantify the potential utility of magnesium (Mg) for improving biochar sorption efficiency of P and As. We synthesized a Mg-modified walnut shells-derived biochar and characterized its ability to remove As and P from aqueous solutions, thereby mitigating losses of valuable P when needed while, at the same time, immobilizing hazardous As in ecosystems. SEM-EDX, FTIR and elemental analysis showed morphological and functional changes of biochar and the formation of new Mg-based composites (MgO, MgOHCl) responsible for improved sorption potential capacity by 10 times for As and 20 times for P. Sorption efficiency was attributed to improved AEC, higher SSA, chemical forms of sorbates and new sorption site formations. Synthetized Mg-composite/walnut shell-derived biochar also removed >90% of P from real samples of wastewater, indicating its potential suitability for contaminated waterbody remediation.
Note:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-M
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Biochar ; Phosphorus ; Arsenic ; Sorption ; Mg-impregnation ; Chemical modification
Published in:	Agriculture, Vol. 11, Issue 8 (August 2021) , art. 714, ISSN 2077-0472

DOI: 10.3390/agriculture11080714

13 p, 3.3 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles