Modified Biochar—A Tool for Wastewater Treatment (original) (raw)

Evaluation of Sewage Sludge Biochar Use in Wastewater Treatment from Phosphate

25-osios jaunųjų mokslininkų konferencijos „Mokslas – Lietuvos ateitis“ teminės konferencijos Aplinkos apsaugos inžinerija straipsnių rinkinys

Phosphorus is important in the environment and its recovery and recycling is necessary. Sewage wastewater is one of the substances in which a high amount of phosphorus and its compounds are found. Phosphorus in water is one of the causes of environmental problems such as eutrophication. The utilization of sewage sludge is a main prob- lem in both large and smaller towns. This research investigates how much and how to use sewage sludge biochar as an adsorbent to remove phosphorus compounds from wastewater. This article highlights the sorption capacity of the filler to absorb phosphorus compounds.

Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater in Biofilters with Biochar Augmented Geomedium: Effect of Biochar Particle Size

CLEAN - Soil, Air, Water, 2017

The use of biochar as a filter medium amendment has shown potential for removing organic and inorganic pollutants from wastewater. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of biochar particle size on: (a) Removal efficiency of total phosphorus (TP) from wastewater, (b) stability of the system under overloading and flooding conditions, and (c) desorption potential of phosphorus from the filtration medium under inundation conditions. Biochar was prepared in two different sizes: Fine and coarse with a mean diameter size of 0.31 and 0.49 mm, respectively. Two treatments using sand augmented with 8% by weight fine biochar (sand-FBC) and sand augmented with 8% by weight coarse biochar (sand-CBC) were tested. The TP removal efficiency of sand-CBC was 10% higher than sand-FBC medium. The average removal efficiencies were 83.3 ± 3.2 and 75.7 ± 7.4% for sand-CBC and sand-FBC media, respectively. Positive correlations between TP load and removal efficiencies were observed. All treatments showed resilience to overloading, flooding and inundation conditions.

Reactivity of Fe-amended biochar for phosphorus removal and recycling from wastewater

PLOS Water

Using biochar to remove phosphorus (P) from wastewater has the potential to improve surface water quality and recycle recovered P as a fertilizer. In this research, effects of iron modification on P sorption behavior and molecular characterization on two different biochars and an activated carbon were studied. A biochar produced from cow manure anaerobic digest fibers (AD) pyrolyzed under NH3 gas had the greatest phosphate sorption capacity (2300 mg/kg), followed by the activated carbon (AC) (1500 mg/kg), and then the biochar produced from coniferous forest biomass (BN) (300 mg/kg). Modifying the biochars and AC with 2% iron by mass increased sorption capacities of the BN biochar to 2000 mg/kg and the AC to 2300 mg/kg, but decreased sorption capacity of the AD biochar to 1700 mg/kg. Molecular analysis of the biochars using P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy indicated that calcium phosphate minerals were the predominant species in the unmodified biocha...

Modified biochars present an economic challenge to phosphate management in wastewater treatment plants

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2020

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Biochar Phosphorus Sorption-Desorption: Potential Phosphorus Eutrophication Mitigation Strategy

Biochar - An Imperative Amendment for Soil and the Environment [Working Title], 2019

Phosphorus (P) eutrophication in the water bodies is of global concern. The role of biochar in the mitigation of (P) eutrophication has recently received substantial attention. Agriculture is the main source of P in the water bodies, as a result of excessive fertilizer and manure application. Excessive P results in excessive primary production in the water bodies, leading to anoxic conditions, growth of toxic algae blooms, altering plant species composition and biomass. Therefore, resulting in food web disruption, fish kill, toxins production and recreation areas degradation. When biochar is applied on farm, it has potential to sorb/adsorb P, immobilizing it, slowing its translocation to the water bodies. However, biochar effectiveness in P sorption is influenced by both feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature. The interaction between feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature influences the biochar pH, surface area, aromatic carbon, cation exchange capacity, surface charge density, biochar internal porosity and polar and nonpolar surface sites that promote nutrient absorption. Hence, biochar properties have a broad spectrum that influences how biochar reacts with P sorption; therefore, it is not appropriate to extrapolate observed results to different materials. Biochar that promote P sorption rather than desorption should be considered and designed to meet specific management practices.

Efficiency of Iron- and Calcium-Impregnated Biochar in Adsorbing Phosphate From Wastewater in Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems

Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2020

This study evaluated the potential of biochar impregnated with Fe3+ or Ca2+, or mixed with Polonite®, as a filter material for removal of phosphate (PO4-P) from wastewater in onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS). Four treatments with biochar were investigated: unimpregnated biochar (UBC), biochar impregnated with iron Fe3+ (FBC), biochar impregnated with calcium oxide (CBC), and biochar mixed with Polonite® (PBC). In a batch experiment using phosphate solution at concentrations 0.5, 3.3, 6.5, 13, and 26 mg PO4-P L–1, adsorption of PO4-P in the different treatments was modeled using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Column filters (5 diameter × 55 cm height) packed with UBC, FBC, CBC, and PBC were then furnished with raw wastewater over 148 weeks. During this experiment, adsorption of PO4-P was investigated in response to increasing hydraulic loading rate (HLR; 56, 74, and 112 L m–2 day–1) and increasing phosphate loading rate (PLR; 195, 324, 653, and 1715 mg PO4-P m–2 day–1)....

Phosphorus removal from eutrophic water using modified biochar

Science of The Total Environment, 2018

Biochars do not have P adsorption capacity without pre-treatment. • Doping process with AlCl 3 conceded P adsorption ability. • Al 3+ binds to the carboxylic groups of the biochar. • Doped biochars can be used in eutrophic water recovery. • Doped biochars and in their MPAC can be used in agriculture.

Phosphorus adsorption onto an enriched biochar substrate in constructed wetlands treating wastewater

Ecological Engineering: X, 2019

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient, which in excessive concentrations from sewage treatment systems can cause eutrophication of waterways. The use of adsorption substrates is becoming a common method for Premoval from wastewater. To achieve sustained P-removal from passive wastewater treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands, it is essential to select substrates with a high capacity to retain P which can be replaced when saturated. An enriched hemp biochar substrate was added to experimental constructed wetland cells to treat domestic wastewater. Hemp feedstock was treated with hematite, melanterite and dolomite prior to pyrolysis at 400°C. The amount of P which was present in the wastewater from the biochar wetlands cells after treatment was compared to gravel control wetland cells. During the 7-month study period, the wetlands containing the enriched biochar consistently reduced PO 4-P concentrations in primary treated sewage to lower levels than in the control wetlands, with an average inlet P concentration of 15.5 mg/L, to below 2 mg/L. Various analytical methods were used to characterise the changes in the biochar substrate. Concentration of P in the substrate increased by 77% over the test period. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed iron phosphate formation. Scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) showed P captured on the biochar surface was associated with aluminium, silica, iron, magnesium and calcium-rich mineral phases. This study showed that an enriched biochar can be used as a substrate to capture phosphorus in passive wastewater treatment.

Potential effects of biochar on the availability of phosphorus — mechanistic insights

Geoderma, 2016

Potential supply shortages of phosphorus (P) rock reserves call for a more efficient use of P fertilizer and exploring new ways of recycling the nutrient within agro-ecosystems. Conditioning arable land with biochar might contribute to achieving both goals. We examined three putative mechanisms governing P availability in biochar amended soils. Potential direct P inputs from eight biochars differing in feedstocks and production techniques were assessed using sequential P fractionation. Phosphorus sorption on one pyrochar and one hydrochar was also studied. Finally, competitive sorption between P and biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) on goethite was studied at three pH levels. Total P varied from 0.6 to 4.0 mg P g −1 in biochars derived from phytomass, and was 47 mg P g −1 in a biochar derived from sewage sludge. In two slightly acidic hydrochars most P was 0.1 M NaOH extractable, Fe-associated, while in the remaining alkaline pyrochars most P was 1 M HCl extractable, Ca-associated. Biochar intrinsic P was mostly of intermediate stability and might slowly replenish labile P in soils. Both the pyrochar and the hydrochar studied were weak sorbents for phosphate. We show that DOM released from biochar, however, can inhibit P sorption on goethite depending on the initial pH, P to DOM ratio and order of sorbate addition. Strong competition between biochar-DOM and P for sorption sites on goethite especially at low pH values suggests that biochar-DOM might enhance P fertilizer use efficiency especially in acidic, highly weathered and strongly P fixing soils.

Reclaiming Phosphorus from Wastewater Effluents including Renewable Biochar

World Journal of Agriculture and Soil Science, 2020

The use of renewable biochar for the recovery of phosphate has great potential for environmental and socio-economic benefits. The low cost, renewable agriculture and animal waste biochar can be used for beneficial application such as pollution remediation as an adsorbent, catalyst, soil fertility improvement etc.