Biochar modification to enhance sorption of inorganics from water

Sizmur, T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9835-7195, Fresno, T., Akgül, G., Frost, H. and Moreno-Jiménez, E. (2017) Biochar modification to enhance sorption of inorganics from water. Bioresource Technology, 246. pp. 34-47. ISSN 0960-8524 doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.07.082

Abstract/Summary

Biochar can be used as a sorbent to remove inorganic pollutants from water but the efficiency of sorption can be improved by activation or modification. This review evaluates various methods to increase the sorption efficiency of biochar including activation with steam, acids and bases and the production of biochar-based composites with metal oxides, carbonaceous materials, clays, organic compounds, and biofilms. We describe the approaches, and explain how each modification alters the sorption capacity. Physical and chemical activation enhances the surface area or functionality of biochar, whereas modification to produce biochar-based composites uses the biochar as a scaffold to embed new materials to create surfaces with novel surface properties upon which inorganic pollutants can sorb. Many of these approaches enhanced the retention of a wide range of inorganic pollutants in waters, but here we provide a comparative assessment for Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, NH4+, NO3-, PO43-, CrO42- and AsO43-.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/71915
Identification Number/DOI	10.1016/j.biortech.2017.07.082
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Earth Systems Science Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science
Publisher	Elsevier
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