Evaluation of Green Waste and Popular Twigs Biochar Produced at Low and High Pyrolytic Temperature for Efficient Removal of Metals from Water

Abstract

Biomass-derived biochar is considered as a promising heavy metal adsorbent, due to its favorable physicochemical properties, from aqueous solution as compared with other adsorbents. However, there is a limited number of studies on the effects of biochar produced from different feedstocks and pyrolytic temperatures on metal removal from metal-contaminated water. So in this study, the removal of the most prevalent heavy metals [(lead (Pb(II)), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr)] by green waste biochar (GWB) and popular twigs biochar (PTB), produced at different pyrolytic temperatures, i.e., low 350 and high 650 °C, has been investigated, following the determination of physical and chemical properties of biochar. The efficiency of heavy metals removal of biochar was studied at different concentrations of heavy metals (10 and 100 μg mL−1), biochar types and treatment duration (3, 6, 9, and 12 h) at isothermic condition of aqueous solution. Results revealed that both feedstock type and pyrolytic temperature to produce biochar significantly affected its metal sorption capacity. The maximum sorption capacities of all three metals, i.e., Pb (II), Cd, and Cr were determined in the GWB produced at low pyrolytic temperature 350 °C after 9 h of treatment duration at both high and low metal concentrations. This highest sorption capacity of all metals by low pyrolytic temperature produced GWB was due to its better physicochemical properties especially high surface area, cation exchange capacity, and oxygen-containing functional groups as compared with woody feedstock based high pyrolytic temperature produced PTB. Conclusively, low pyrolytic temperature produced GWB was evaluated as a potential adsorbent to efficiently reduced heavy metal concentration in metal-contaminated water.