Abstract
Heavy metals (HMs), with their high toxicity and propensity to accumulate in the human body, pose a significant threat to public health. Simultaneously, their resistance to degradation leads to persistent environmental damage. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) emerges as a promising method for reducing the ecological toxicity of HMs. However, the effects of various factors on the immobilization efficacy of HMs remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the Cu distribution of cellulose in the HTC process. The temperature, retention time, and Cu categories were selected as the factors for the orthogonal experiment. The results showed that HTC produced hydrochars with a complex surface structure, promoting the adsorption, complexation, and precipitation of HMs. Moreover, the HTC process reduced the exchangeable/acid-soluble and reducible fraction of Cu, decreasing the potential risk of Cu. The optimal reaction conditions were 275 °C and 90 min for cellulose added with Cu(NO3)2. It was particularly observed that the increase in temperature enhanced Cu immobilization.
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