Comparison of CU(II), MN(II) and ZN(II) adsorption on biochar using diagnostic and simulation models

With the increase of urbanization and human consumption, the extraction of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) causes higher risk of them to enter sources of human food and potable water. Adsorption has been studied extensively as phenomena to reduce element mobility in both natural and engineered systems. The need to adapt the adsorption models to simulate the adsorption increases as the variety of adsorbents of natural origin is getting bigger and bigger due to their sustainability, availability and low costs. Adsorption of PTEs was analysed in the case of biochar which is a widely studied adsorbent, however, the studies are often limited to standard adsorption equilibrium and kinetic procedures without further analyses into the adsorbate and adsorbent contact zone. Zn(II), Cu(II) and Mn(II) were chosen study due to their nutritional and toxicological features. Diagnostic methods were used to differentiate the metal behaviour during adsorption and dynamic intraparticle model was further employed to simulate the kinetic conditions. Harkins-Jura isotherm model and pseudo-second kinetic model were determined to fit the adsorption of PTEs on biochar. According to the adsorption efficiency and capacity, PTEs fell into the following sequence: Cu(II) > Mn(II)>Zn(II). It was observed that the kinetics of Cu(II) decreased in the solution by about 1.7 times more than of Zn(II) and about 2.3 times more than of Mn(II). Cu(II) decreased faster and more suddenly than Mn(II) and Zn(II) in the solution on the particle surface and in the solution inside the particle.