High-efficiency desulfurization adsorbents loaded with uniformly dispersed nano-metal particles prepared from phytoremediation

Abstract

Plants can absorb heavy metals from wastewater due to their biological characteristics, and can evenly disperse these metals into plants. Adsorbents prepared by pyrolysis of metal-rich plants have the advantage of uniform metal loading and small metal particles. Therefore, in this study, Pistia stratiotes was cultured in six monometallic solutions of the same concentration to obtain a monometallic desulfurization adsorbent (ACA-I); after screening, culture in three metal solutions of Ni-Co, Ni-Cu and Co-Cu to obtain bimetallic desulfurization adsorbent (ACA-II). The results of TEM and SEM showed that the diameter of metal nanoparticles supported by ACA-II was smaller and more uniform. The adsorption desulfurization performance of PSLAC-Co-Ni, PSLAC-Cu-Ni and PSLAC-Co-Cu was 87 mg g−1, 83 mg g−1 and 80 mg g−1, respectively, which were better than that of ACA-I. However, the physical structures as well as the adsorption desulfurization performance of ACA-II and ACA-I were better than those of adsorbents prepared by conventional methods. This simultaneously solves environmental problems such as heavy metal pollution of water bodies, treatment of metal-rich plants and excessive sulfur content in fuel oil. This study provides a new idea for the preparation and use of loaded adsorbents, and also provides some data support for further industrial applications.