Microalgal biochar assisted simultaneous removal of particulate matter, formaldehyde, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC's) from indoor air

Abstract

Biochar-based materials for air treatment have gained significant attention for removing health-detrimental volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) in indoor air settings. However, high turnaround time, multiple pretreatment processes involved, and high pore size and low surface area (>10 μm, <100 m2 g−1) of lignocellulosic feedstocks demand alternative biochar feedstock material. Considering this, we designed a simple first-of-its-kind indoor air scrubbing material using diatoms-enriched microalgae biochar. In the present study, the microalgae were cultivated on waste anaerobic digestate (biogas slurry) and were pyrolyzed at three different temperatures: 300 °C (BC300), 500 °C (BC500), and 700 °C (BC700). The BC500 and BC700 showed the highest removal efficiencies (99 %) for total volatile organic carbons (TVOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO) at concentrations of 1.22 mg m−3 HCHO and 8.57 mg m−3 TVOC compared to 50% efficiency obtained with commercially available surgical, cloth, and N95 masks. The biochar obtained showed a high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 238 m2 g−1 (BC500) and 480 m2 g−1 (BC700) and an average pore size of 9–11 nm due to the mesoporous characteristic of diatom frustules. The comparatively poor performance of BC300 was due to lower surface area (150 m2 g−1) arising from incomplete organic removal, as evidenced by FESEM-EDX and FTIR. The high removal efficiencies in BC500 and BC700 were also attributed to the presence of reactive functional groups such as –OH and R–NH2. Concurrently, the average particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) removal efficiency for BC500 and BC 700 ranged between 66 and 82.69 %. The PM removal performance of BC500 and BC700 was lower (15–20%) than commercially available masks. Overall, the present study highlights the importance of diatoms (reactive Si) present inside the pores of microalgal biochar for enhanced removal of PM, TVOCs, and HCHO at temperatures above 500 °C. This complete approach signifies a step towards establishing a self-sustainable and circular process characterized by minimal waste generation for indoor air treatment.