Application of a novel ball-milled tourmaline-biochar composite materials for remediation of groundwater and bottom mud polluted with heavy metals

Abstract

A novel composited material of ball-milled tourmaline-biochar (BM-TB) developed have a good adsorption capacity for heavy metal in the wider pH ranges of the aqueous solution. The adsorption capacity of BM-TB for Cd2+ was 142.6 mg/g when the solution pH was 4.0, and when pH was higher than 4.0. When the BM-TB was used to adsorb As, Cd, Cu and Pb from the groundwater, the adsorption percentage obtained 17.4 %, 93.6 %, 64.1 % and 95.9 %, respectively. When the BM-TB was used to remediate the bottom mud, BM-TB can the can significantly reduce the bioavailability of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn and As and inhibit their enrichment into plant. Additionally, the novel material was remediated the bottom mud, it can amend the bottom mud and enhance the content of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total nitrogen and rapidly available potassium, and significantly reduce the content of dissolved carbon (DC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). In addition, the increase of CO2 emission flux was not significant, and gradually decreased with the increase of culture days. The present study provided not only a novel material, but also technology protocol for treatment of acidic wastewater and heavy metals contaminated groundwater and bottom mud.