Iron-impregnated biochars as effective phosphate sorption materials

Micháleková-Richveisová, Barbora; Frišták, Vladimír; Pipíška, Martin; Ďuriška, Libor; Moreno-Jimenez, Eduardo; Soja, Gerhard

Iron-impregnated biochars as effective phosphate sorption materials

2017

A new post-treatment method was applied for improving the sorption efficiency of biochar-based sorbents for anionic forms of phosphorus. The Fe-impregnation through direct hydrolysis of Fe(NO₃)₃ was used to produce impregnated corn cob- (IBC A), garden wood waste- (IBC B), and wood chip-derived biochars (IBC C). The qualitative and quantitative effects of impregnation process on biochars were confirmed by SEM-EDX, FTIR, and ICP-MS. The analyses revealed increased concentrations of N and thus potential NO₃⁻ participation in the phosphate sorption process. Biochar surface area showed a significant decrease after the impregnation process due to the filling of micro- and mesopores with Fe maximum sorption capacity (Q ₘₐₓ) increased by a factor of 12–50. The sorption processes of phosphates by IBC A, IBC B, and IBC C were dependent on pH, initial concentration, and time. Speciation analysis and pH-study confirmed the range of pH 4.5–5.5 as optimum values at which most of phosphorus is present in form of mononuclear H₂PO₄⁻. Batch sorption experiments showed a significant increase in the sorption capacity for phosphates by Fe impregnation of biochar as well as effectiveness and stability of this treatment. These findings indicate an option for utilizing engineered biochars as tools for the recovery of phosphorus from the aquatic environment.

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