Effect of pyrolysis temperature and molecular weight on characterization of biochar derived dissolved organic matter from invasive plant and binding behavior with the selected pharmaceuticals

Abstract

A comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of biochar released-dissolved organic matter (BDOM) derived from an invasive plant and its impact on the binding behavior of pharmaceuticals is essential for the application of biochar, yet has received less attention. In this study, the binding behavior of BDOM pyrolyzed at 300–700 °C with sulfathiazole, acetaminophen, chloramphenicol (CAP), and carbamazepine (CMZ) was investigated based on a multi-analytical approach. Generally, the pyrolysis temperature exhibited a more significant impact on the spectral properties of BDOM and pharmaceutical binding behavior than those of the molecular weight. With increased pyrolysis temperature, the dissolved organic carbon decreased while the proportion of the protein-like substance increased. The highest binding capacity towards the drugs was observed for the BDOM pyrolyzed at 500 °C with the molecular weight larger than 0.3 kDa. Moreover, the protein-like substance exhibited higher susceptive and released preferentially during the dialysis process and also showed more sensitivity and bound precedingly with the pharmaceuticals. The active binding points were the aliphatic C–OH, amide II N–H, carboxyl CO, and phenolic-OH on the tryptophan-like substance. Furthermore, the binding affinity of the BDOM pyrolyzed at 500 °C was relatively high with the stability constant (logKM) of 4.51 ± 0.52.