Water Science and Technology (Oct 2021)

Sediment metals adhering to biochar enhanced phosphorus adsorption in sediment capping

  • Cheng Gao,
  • Jie Fan,
  • Xujie Zhang,
  • Zhiwei Gong,
  • Zhenyu Tan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2021.411
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 84, no. 8
pp. 2057 – 2067

Abstract

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Metal ions in sediment are inherent Ca and Fe sources for biochar modification. In this work, the effect of Ca2+ and Fe2+ released from sediment on biochar for phosphorus adsorption was evaluated. Results showed that raw peanut shell biochar (PSB) was poor in phosphorus adsorption (0.48 mg/g); sediment-triggered biochar (S-PSB) exhibited a P adsorption capacity of 1.32 mg/g in capping reactor and maximum adsorption capacity of 10.72 mg/g in the Langmuir model. Sediment released Ca2+ of 2.2–4.1 mg/L and Fe2+/Fe3+ of 0.2–9.0 mg/L. The metals loaded onto the biochar surface in the forms of Ca-O and Fe-O, with Ca and Fe content of 1.47 and 0.29%, respectively. Sediment metals made point of zero charge (pHpzc) of biochar shifted from 5.39 to 6.46. The mechanisms of enhanced P adsorption by S-PSB were surface complexation of CaHPO4 followed by precipitation of Ca3(PO4)2 and Ca5(PO4)3(OH). Sediment metals induced the modification of biochar and improvement of P adsorption, which was feasible to overcome the shortcomings of biochar on phosphorus control in sediment capping. HIGHLIGHTS Biochar was triggered by sediment Ca2+ and Fe2+.; Metals loaded on biochar surface as Ca-O and Fe-O.; q of S-PSB was 2.5 times higher than PSB.; Metal-loaded biochar was a seed for Ca-P complexation and precipitation.;

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