In this study, biochar was produced from three differently treated sewage sludge biomasses, in three pyrolytic temperatures, 300 °C, 500 °C and 700 °C, under continuous N2 supply. The produced samples were physicochemically characterized and their initial metal concentration, along with metal leaching potential, were investigated. Moreover, the application of the biochar samples as adsorbents for the removal of seven emerging organic micro-pollutants from table water and treated wastewater matrices was investigated. The results showed that even though the biochar samples were not especially enriched in terms of physicochemical characterization, they were effective as adsorptive materials in the respective experiments. Pollutant removal was in the range of 67-99% for the table water experiments, while the removal for the wastewater experiments was 35-97%. The results of this study indicate that sewage sludge biochar has the potential to be an effective, low-cost adsorbent, providing, at the same time, a viable and environmentally friendly solution concerning the difficult task of sludge management.
Keywords: Biochar; Metals leaching; Organic pollutants; Pyrolysis; Sewage sludge; Sorption.
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