Phytoremediation plants (ramie) and steel smelting wastes for calcium silicate coated-nZVI/biochar production: Environmental risk assessment and efficient As(V) removal mechanisms

Abstract

Arsenic is one of the most common and harmful pollutants in environment throughout the world, especially in aqueous solutions. In this study, two kinds of industrial solid wastes (Oxide scale (OS) and Blast furnace slag (BFS)) and one kind of phytoremediation plant waste (Ramie stalk) were used to prepare an environmentally friendly, low-cost, and efficient calcium silicate coated nano zero-valent iron (nZVI)/biochar composite (BOS) for As(V) adsorption. The potential environmental risks of BOS and their effects on removal of arsenic ions from aqueous media were investigated. The adsorption mechanism was explored and discussed based on XRD, SEM-EDS, XPS, etc. The results suggested that the environmental risk and heavy metals toxicity in BOS by co-pyrolysis were significantly reduced compared to the original materials, and no additional contaminant was observed in the subsequent experiments. Simultaneously, the BOS showed excellent As(V) removal capacity (>99%) and regenerative properties. The As(V) removal mechanisms are mainly ascribed to the complexation and co-precipitation between Fe and As, and the hydrogen bond between CO functional group of BOS and As. The mechanism of enhanced nZVI activity for As(V) removal was revealed. A protective layer of Ca2SiO4 was formed on the surface of nZVI during the co-pyrolysis process to prevent the passivation of nZVI. During the reaction process, the Ca2SiO4 covering the nZVI surface would be continuously detached to expose the fresh surface of nZVI, thus providing more redox activity and adsorption sites. This study provides a new way to treat and recycle industrial steel solid wastes and phytoremediation plant wastes, and the produced calcium silicate coated-nZVI/biochar composite is proposed to be a very promising material for practical remediation of As(V)-contaminated water bodies.