Skip to main content
Log in

U(VI) removal efficiency and mechanism of biochars derived from sewage sludge at two pyrolysis temperatures

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, sewage sludge-derived biochars (SSBs) were prepared at two pyrolysis temperatures of 450 °C (SSB450) and 600 °C (SSB600) for U(VI) removal. The maximum adsorption capacity of SSB450 and SSB600 was 43.13 and 47.47 mg g-1, respectively, at initial pH of 3. While the adsorption process of U(VI) onto the SSBs were accurately described by the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model. Ion exchange and complexation were assumed as the adsorption mechanism. The adsorption–desorption experiment showed that both the U(VI) removal efficiency and SSB regeneration efficiency were greater than 80%. Thus, the SSB has a potential application in U(VI)-containing wastewater treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chen A, Shang C, Shao J, Zhang J, Huang H (2017) The application of iron-based technologies in uranium remediation: a review. Sci Total Environ 575:1291–1306

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Xie Y, Chen C, Ren X, Wang X, Wang H, Wang X (2019) Emerging natural and tailored materials for uranium-contaminated water treatment and environmental remediation. Prog Mater Sci 103:180–234

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Ren Y, Bao H, Wu Q, Wang H, Gai T, Shao L, Wang S, Tang H, Li Y, Wang X (2020) The physical chemistry of uranium(VI) immobilization on manganese oxides. J Hazard Mater 391:122207

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Li L, Ma R, Wen T, Gu P, Zhang S, Zheng M, Wu X, Zhang X, Hayat T, Wang X (2019) Functionalization of carbon nanomaterials by means of phytic acid for uranium enrichment. Sci Total Environ 694:133697

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Li JH, Yang LX, Li JQ, Yin WH, Tao Y, Wu HQ, Luo F (2019) Anchoring nZVI on metal-organic framework for removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution. J Solid State Chem 269:16–23

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bağda E, Tuzen M, Sarı A (2017) Equilibrium, thermodynamic and kinetic investigations for biosorption of uranium with green algae (Cladophora hutchinsiae). J Environ Radioact 175–176:7–14

    Google Scholar 

  7. Li M, Liu H, Chen T, Dong C, Sun Y (2019) Synthesis of magnetic biochar composites for enhanced uranium(VI) adsorption. Sci Total Environ 651:1020–1028

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hu H, Zhang X, Wang T, Sun LL, Wu HX, Chen XH (2018) Bamboo (Acidosasa longiligula) shoot shell biochar: its potential application to isolation of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 316:349–362

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jin J, Li S, Peng X, Liu W, Zhang C, Yang Y, Han L, Du Z, Sun K, Wang X (2018) HNO3 modified biochars for uranium(VI) removal from aqueous solution. Bioresour Technol 256:247–253

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Liu Z, Mayer B, Venkiteshwaran K, Seyedi S, Raju ASK, Zitomer D, McNamara P (2020) The state of technologies and research for energy recovery from municipal wastewater sludge and biosolids. Curr Opin Environ Sci Health 14:31–36

    Google Scholar 

  11. Nguyen NT, Lee SY, Chen SS, Nguyen NC (2018) Preparation of Zn-doped biochar from sewage sludge for chromium ion removal. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 18:5520–5527

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Novak JM, Lima I, Xing BS, Gaskin JW, Steiner C, Das KC, Ahmedna M (2009) Characterization of designer biochar produced at different temperatures and their effects on a loamy sand. Annal Environ Sci 3:195–206

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chen T, Zhou Z, Han R, Meng R, Wang H, Lu W (2015) Adsorption of cadmium by biochar derived from municipal sewage sludge: impact factors and adsorption mechanism. Chemosphere 134:286–293

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Chen T, Zhou ZY, Sai X, Wang HT, Lu WJ (2015) Adsorption behavior comparison of trivalent and hexavalent chromium on biochar derived from municipal sludge. Bioresour Technol 190:388–394

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ni BJ, Huang QS, Wang C, Ni TY, Sun J, Wei W (2019) Competitive adsorption of heavy metals in aqueous solution onto biochar derived from anaerobically digested sludge. Chemosphere 219:351–357

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. National Forestry Administration (1999) Test methods of wooden activated carbon-determination of ash content: GB/T12496.3-1999. Standards Press of China, Beijing (in Chinese)

  17. Jin JW, Li YA, Zhang JY, Wu SC, Cao YC, Liang P, Zhang J, Wong MH, Wang MY, Shan SD (2016) Influence of pyrolysis temperature on properties and environmental safety of heavy metals in biochars derived from municipal sewage sludge. J Hazard Mater 320:417–426

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Agrafioti E, Bouras G, Kalderis D, Diamadopoulos E (2013) Biochar production by sewage sludge pyrolysis. J Anal Appl Pyrol 101:72–78

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Novak JM, Lima I, Xing BS, Gaskin JW, Steiner C, Das KC, Ahmedna M (2009) Characterization of designer biochar produced at different temperatures and their effects on a loamy sand. Ann Environ Sci 3:195–206

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. SEPAC (State Environmental Protection Administration of China) (1986) Methods of analysing microquantity of uranium in water. National standard of the People's Republic of China (GB6768–86). China environmental science Press, Beijing, pp. 296–301 (in Chinese)

  21. Ganesh S, Velavendan P, Pandey NK, Mudali UK, Natarajan R (2014) On-site monitoring of uranium in low level liquid waste streams using U-Br-PADAP strip indicator paper technique. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 302:1513–1518

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Xiao B, Dai Q, Yu X, Yu P, Zhai S, Liu R, Guo X, Liu J, Chen H (2018) Effects of sludge thermal-alkaline pretreatment on cationic red X-GRL adsorption onto pyrolysis biochar of sewage sludge. J Hazard Mater 343:347–355

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Mo G, Xie S, Zeng T, Liu Y, Cai P (2020) The efficiency and mechnism of U(VI) removal from acidic wastewater by sewage sludge-derived biochar. CIESC J Huagong Xuebao 71(5):2352–2362 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Li X, Pan H, Yu M, Wakeel M, Luo J, Liao Q, Liu J (2018) Macroscopic and molecular investigations of immobilization mechanism of uranium on biochar: EXAFS spectroscopy and static batch. J Mol Liq 269:64–71

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Chen T, Zhang Y, Wang H, Lu W, Zhou Z, Zhang Y, Ren L (2014) Influence of pyrolysis temperature on characteristics and heavy metal adsorptive performance of biochar derived from municipal sewage sludge. Bioresour Technol 164:47–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Jin J, Li Y, Zhang J, Wu S, Cao Y, Liang P, Zhang J, Wong MH, Wang M, Shan S, Christie P (2016) Influence of pyrolysis temperature on properties and environmental safety of heavy metals in biochars derived from municipal sewage sludge. J Hazard Mater 320:417–426

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Khanmohammadi Z, Afyuni M, Mosaddeghi MR (2015) Effect of pyrolysis temperature on chemical and physical properties of sewage sludge biochar. Waste Manag Res 33:275–283

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Zhang JN, Lü F, Zhang H, Shao LM, Chen DZ, He PJ (2015) Multiscale visualization of the structural and characteristic changes of sewage sludge biochar oriented towards potential agronomic and environmental implication. Sci Rep 5:9406

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Hu QY, Zhu YL, Hu BW, Lu SH, Sheng GD (2018) Mechanistic insights into sequestration of U(VI) toward magnetic biochar: batch, XPS and EXAFS techniques. J Environ Sci 70:217–225

    Google Scholar 

  30. Carvajal DA, Katsenovich YP, Lagos LE (2012) The effects of aqueous bicarbonate and calcium ions on uranium biosorption by Arthrobacter G975 strain. Chem Geol 330–331:51–59

    Google Scholar 

  31. Stewart BD, Mayes MA, Fendorf S (2010) Impact of uranyl-calcium-carbonato complexes on uranium(VI) adsorption to synthetic and natural sediments. Environ Sci Technol 44:928–934

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Du L, An SW, Ding J, Jiang D, Hong W, Jin YD, Liu L (2016) Adsorption and desorption of uranium(VI) by Fe–Mn binary oxide in aqueous solutions. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 308:545–554

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Chen SP, Hong JX, Yang HX, Yang JZ (2013) Adsorption of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution using a novel graphene oxide-activated carbon felt composite. J Environ Radioact 126:253–258

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Ioannou K, Hadjiyiannis P, Liatsou I, Pashalidis I (2019) U(VI) adsorption by biochar fiber–MnO2 composites. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 320:425–432

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Pang HW, Diao ZD, Wang XK, Ma Y, Yu SJ (2019) Adsorptive and reductive removal of U(VI) by Dictyophora indusiate-derived biochar supported sulfide NZVI from wastewater. Chem Eng J 366:368–377

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Phoungthong K, Zhang H, Shao L-M, He P-J (2018) Leaching characteristics and phytotoxic effects of sewage sludge biochar. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 20:2089–2099

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Chen HB, Xie SB, Liu JX (2014) Characteristics and mechanism of uranium(VI) absorbed by anaerobic granular sludge. Chin J Nonferrous Met 24(9):2418–2425

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Research Program for Young Scholar in Hunan Province [XJT(2018)574] and the Open Funding for Innovation Platform of Education Department in Hunan Province (19K081). The authors thank the permissions from Hengyang Water Group for providing sewage sludge to prepare the biochar in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Taotao Zeng.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOC 70 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zeng, T., Mo, G., Zhang, X. et al. U(VI) removal efficiency and mechanism of biochars derived from sewage sludge at two pyrolysis temperatures. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 1413–1425 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07423-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07423-y

Keywords

Navigation