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Optimization preparation of biochar from garden waste and quantitative analysis for Cd2+ adsorption mechanism in aqueous solution

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Abstract

To develop a market for biochar, it is imperative that solutions are found to producing biochars that are both high performance and economically viable. While biochar performance can be enhanced via chemical modification, it is likely that optimization of pyrolysis time and temperature is a more cost-effective approach to enhancing performance. This was explored via the transformation of urban garden waste into biochar using a range of preparation conditions (heating temperature, residence time, and heating rate). Biochar yield and Cd2+ adsorption performance were optimized using response surface methodology. The “best compromise” yield and Cd2+ adsorption performance (49.9% and 40.0 mg/g, respectively) of garden waste biochar were achieved using preparation conditions of 398 ℃, 10 ℃/min, and 30 min. In addition, the quantification of adsorption mechanisms suggested mineral precipitation, ion exchange, functional group complexation, and physical adsorption, accounted for 47.9%, 41.5%, 10.3%, and 0.3% of total adsorbed Cd2+ in biochar, respectively. Overall, transformation of garden waste into adsorbents might offer a new market for the utilization of urban garden waste, especially given the size of this waste stream and the challenges it presents to municipal administrations.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51779047).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China

    Song Cui, Yuxin Ke, Qiang Fu, Zulin Zhang, Zhenxing Shen, Lihui An & Yi-Fan Li

  2. Research Center for Eco-Environment Protection of Songhua River Basin, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China

    Song Cui, Yuxin Ke & Qiang Fu

  3. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK

    Rupert Hough & Zulin Zhang

  4. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Zhenxing Shen

  5. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Lihui An

  6. IJRC-PTS, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, Heilongjiang, China

    Yi-Fan Li

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  1. Song Cui
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  2. Yuxin Ke
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Contributions

Conceptualization: S. Cui, Q. Fu, and Z.X. Shen. Methodology: Y.X. Ke and R. Hough. Formal analysis and investigation: Y.X. Ke and L.H. An. Writing (original draft preparation): S. Cui, Y.X. Ke, and Z.L. Zhang. Writing (review and editing): R. Hough, Y.F. Li, and S. Cui. Funding acquisition: S. Cui. Supervision: S. Cui and Q. Fu.

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Correspondence to Song Cui.

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Highlights

• Pyrolysis conditions posed opposite effects on biochar yield and adsorption performance;

• The conditions for biochar preparation were optimized through regression modelling;

• More than 89% of total adsorbed Cd2+ was attributed to ion exchange and precipitation;

• Transformation to biochar provided a feasible way to utilize urban garden waste.

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Cui, S., Ke, Y., Fu, Q. et al. Optimization preparation of biochar from garden waste and quantitative analysis for Cd2+ adsorption mechanism in aqueous solution. Biomass Conv. Bioref. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-03289-0

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