Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation

The main aim of this study was to test the efficiency of biochar for Cu removal from synthetic and soil solutions, respectively. The biochar was produced from brewers draff via pyrolysis. Additionally, the prepared biochar was also activated using 2 M KOH to enhance its sorption efficiency to remove...

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Main Authors: Lukáš Trakal, Roman Šigut, Hana Šillerová, Dagmara Faturíková, Michael Komárek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2014-01-01
Series:Arabian Journal of Chemistry
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535213002621
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author Lukáš Trakal
Roman Šigut
Hana Šillerová
Dagmara Faturíková
Michael Komárek
author_facet Lukáš Trakal
Roman Šigut
Hana Šillerová
Dagmara Faturíková
Michael Komárek
author_sort Lukáš Trakal
collection DOAJ
description The main aim of this study was to test the efficiency of biochar for Cu removal from synthetic and soil solutions, respectively. The biochar was produced from brewers draff via pyrolysis. Additionally, the prepared biochar was also activated using 2 M KOH to enhance its sorption efficiency to remove Cu from both solutions. Two different aqueous solutions were prepared for these experiments: (i) a synthetic using Cu-nitrate salt with 0.01 M NaNO3 and (ii) soil solution obtained from a Cu-contaminated soil using 0.01 M CaCl2 leaching procedure. Batch sorption and column experiments were used to evaluate the efficiency of both biochar (BC) and activated biochar (BCact) to remove Cu from the solutions. Results showed that both biochar samples are pure amorphous carbon and the Cu sorption is thus mainly a result of physical sorption on the biochar surface. Next, chemical activation, using 2 M KOH, significantly increased the total volume of all pores in biochar (from 0.01 ± 0.002 to 8.74 ± 0.18 mL g−1). On the other hand, the BET surface area was similar for both sorbents (BC = 9.80 ± 0.62 m2 g−1 and BCact = 11.6 ± 0.4 m2 g−1). Results also demonstrate enhanced sorption efficiency of the BCact (10.3 mg g−1) in comparison with the BC (8.77 mg g−1). Additionally, enhanced Cu removal during column retention test was observed for the BCact in both synthetic and soil solutions, respectively. In summary, the results showed that biochar prepared from brewers draff was able to remove Cu from both aqueous solutions.
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spelling doaj.art-b40b67d48bf3469b9cd77a3f854ecc992022-12-21T18:50:25ZengElsevierArabian Journal of Chemistry1878-53522014-01-0171435210.1016/j.arabjc.2013.08.001Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activationLukáš TrakalRoman ŠigutHana ŠillerováDagmara FaturíkováMichael KomárekThe main aim of this study was to test the efficiency of biochar for Cu removal from synthetic and soil solutions, respectively. The biochar was produced from brewers draff via pyrolysis. Additionally, the prepared biochar was also activated using 2 M KOH to enhance its sorption efficiency to remove Cu from both solutions. Two different aqueous solutions were prepared for these experiments: (i) a synthetic using Cu-nitrate salt with 0.01 M NaNO3 and (ii) soil solution obtained from a Cu-contaminated soil using 0.01 M CaCl2 leaching procedure. Batch sorption and column experiments were used to evaluate the efficiency of both biochar (BC) and activated biochar (BCact) to remove Cu from the solutions. Results showed that both biochar samples are pure amorphous carbon and the Cu sorption is thus mainly a result of physical sorption on the biochar surface. Next, chemical activation, using 2 M KOH, significantly increased the total volume of all pores in biochar (from 0.01 ± 0.002 to 8.74 ± 0.18 mL g−1). On the other hand, the BET surface area was similar for both sorbents (BC = 9.80 ± 0.62 m2 g−1 and BCact = 11.6 ± 0.4 m2 g−1). Results also demonstrate enhanced sorption efficiency of the BCact (10.3 mg g−1) in comparison with the BC (8.77 mg g−1). Additionally, enhanced Cu removal during column retention test was observed for the BCact in both synthetic and soil solutions, respectively. In summary, the results showed that biochar prepared from brewers draff was able to remove Cu from both aqueous solutions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535213002621Brewers draffPyrolysisChemical activationSorptionColumn retention
spellingShingle Lukáš Trakal
Roman Šigut
Hana Šillerová
Dagmara Faturíková
Michael Komárek
Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation
Arabian Journal of Chemistry
Brewers draff
Pyrolysis
Chemical activation
Sorption
Column retention
title Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation
title_full Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation
title_fullStr Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation
title_full_unstemmed Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation
title_short Copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar: Effect of chemical activation
title_sort copper removal from aqueous solution using biochar effect of chemical activation
topic Brewers draff
Pyrolysis
Chemical activation
Sorption
Column retention
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535213002621
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AT hanasillerova copperremovalfromaqueoussolutionusingbiochareffectofchemicalactivation
AT dagmarafaturikova copperremovalfromaqueoussolutionusingbiochareffectofchemicalactivation
AT michaelkomarek copperremovalfromaqueoussolutionusingbiochareffectofchemicalactivation