Effects of pyrolysis temperature on nitrate-nitrogen (NO3--N) and bromate (BrO3-) adsorption onto date palm biochar

Abdulaziz S Alsewaileh; Adel R Usman; Mohammad I Al-Wabel

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.045

Effects of pyrolysis temperature on nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃^--N) and bromate (BrO₃^-) adsorption onto date palm biochar

J Environ Manage. 2019 May 1:237:289-296. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.045. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Authors

Abdulaziz S Alsewaileh¹, Adel R Usman², Mohammad I Al-Wabel³

Affiliations

¹ Soil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Saudi Food and Drug Authority, 3292 Alnfel, Riyadh, 13312, Saudi Arabia.
² Soil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; Department of Soils and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
³ Soil Sciences Department, College of Food & Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: malwabel@ksu.edu.sa.

PMID: 30802753
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.02.045

Abstract

Biochars (BCs) produced through biomass pyrolysis are highly efficient adsorbents for retaining dissolved cations in soil and water. However, their anionic sorption characteristics are unclear and depend on the feedstock used and the pyrolysis temperature. Herein, the adsorption of nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃^--N) and bromate (BrO₃^-) anions onto date palm biochar was evaluated by considering the pyrolysis temperature in relation with the initial concentrations, initial pH, and adsorbent dose. Biochars from date palm rachis were produced at 300 °C (BC300) and 700 °C (BC700). The latter exhibited the highest adsorption efficiency of NO₃^--N from aqueous solutions at an initial pH of 2, which was 25.8%-44.3% (at an adsorbent dose of 4 g L^-1) and 47.0%-73.0% (at an adsorbent dose of 10 g L^-1). In contrast, BC300 adsorbed BrO₃^- with an adsorption efficiency of 19.3%, 14.5%, 14.9%, and 13.6% at initial added concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20 μg L^-1, respectively. However, BC700 showed zero adsorption for BrO₃^-. The results also showed that the non-linear models of Langmuir and/or Freundlich for NO₃^--N and BrO₃^- adsorption described the adsorption data better in most cases. It could be concluded that high pyrolysis temperature BC are suitable for adsorbing NO₃^--N, and low pyrolysis temperature BC may be used to adsorb BrO₃^-.

Keywords: Biomass; Carbonization; Environment; Isotherms; Pollution.

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Bromates*
Charcoal
Nitrogen
Phoeniceae*
Pyrolysis
Temperature

Substances

Bromates
biochar
Charcoal
Nitrogen