Effects of composing on sorption capacity of bagasse-based chars

Abstract

A fresh bagasse sample (0-month) and two composted bagasse and pig manure mixed samples (1-month and 6-month) were used to produce carbon chars. Sample pyrolysis showed greater carbon char yields were obtained from the compost samples than from the bagasse sample. Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested that the chemical structures of the bagasse sample and the two compost samples were quite different, but that the three carbon chars obtained from those precursors were similar. Among the three pyrolyzed chars, the 0-month bagasse char displayed the largest sorption capacity of 3333 mg kg −1 for the hydrophilic pollutant phenol, presumably resulting from its greater carbon content and O/C ratio. However, the sorption capacities for the hydrophobic pollutant naphthalene of the tow compost chars (3-month, 2001 mg kg −1; 6-month, 1667 mg kg −1) were greater than that of the 0-month bagasse char (1428 mg kg −1). The results indicate that the compost chars had a greater preferential affinity for naphthalene than that in the bagasse char, suggesting that the compost chars possessed greater hydrophobicity.