Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study on the influence of surface potential on the nitrate adsorption capacity of metal modified biochar

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Carbon materials, as effective adsorbents to numerous aqueous cationic contaminants, have been hardly applied to remove anions in wastewater. In this work, different modifying agents were used to modify corncob biochars (CC) and the surface potentials of these modified biochars were determined. Based on the findings, modification principle was determined to reveal the relationship between surface potentials of the biochars and their nitrate adsorption capacities. The surface potential was dominated by the metal cations and multivalent cations led to even positive zeta potential. The formation of metal oxide not only led to the augment in surface area but also increase the surface charge. FeCl3-modified biochar (Fe-CC) with the highest positive surface charge was utilized to remove anions (nitrate) from aqueous solutions. Characterization results confirm that Fe2O3 structure were successfully formed on biochar surface. This led to the formation of iron nitrate hydrate (Fe(NO3)3·9H2O), which enabled higher nitrate adsorption performance than that of pristine biochar. Batch experiments showed that nitrate adsorption on the Fe-CC was stable and almost independent of experimental pH and temperature. Based on the Langmuir model results, the maximum nitrate adsorption capacity of Fe-CC was 32.33 mg/g. Coexisting anions had negative influence on the adsorption performance. Findings of this work suggest that the modified biochar can be used in wastewater treatment to remove anions such as nitrate.

ᅟ

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Calero J, Ontiveros-Ortega A, Aranda V (n.d.) Plaza I Humic acid adsorption and its role in colloidal-scale aggregation determined with the zeta potential, surface free energy and the extended-DLVO theory. Eur J Soil Sci

  • Choe E, Meer FVD, Rossiter D, Salm CVD, Kim KW (2010) An alternate method for Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic determination of soil nitrate using derivative analysis and sample treatments. Water Air Soil Pollut 206:129–137

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cosimo JID, Dı́Ez VK, Xu M, Iglesia E, CR Apesteguı́A (1998) Structure and surface and catalytic properties of Mg-Al basic oxides ☆. J Catal 178:499–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creamer AE, Gao B, Wang SS (2016) Carbon dioxide capture using various metal oxyhydroxide-biochar composites. Chem Eng J 283:826–832

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De RG, Lahav M, Me VDB (2014) Pyridine coordination chemistry for molecular assemblies on surfaces. Acc Chem Res 47:3407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ding Z, Hu X, Wan Y, Wang S, Gao B (2016) Removal of lead, copper, cadmium, zinc, and nickel from aqueous solutions by alkali-modified biochar: batch and column tests. J Ind Eng Chem 33:239–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Du C, Cui CW, Qiu S, Shi SN, Li A, Ma F (2017) Nitrogen removal and microbial community shift in an aerobic denitrification reactor bioaugmented with a Pseudomonas strain for coal-based ethylene glycol industry wastewater treatment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:11435–11445

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eeshwarasinghe D, Loganathan P, Kalaruban M, Sounthararajah DP, Kandasamy J, Vigneswaran S (2018) Removing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water using granular activated carbon: kinetic and equilibrium adsorption studies. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:13511–13524

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gao F, Xue YW, Deng PY, Cheng XR, Yang K (2015) Removal of aqueous ammonium by biochars derived from agricultural residuals at different pyrolysis temperatures. Chem Speciat Bioavailab 27:92–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu X, Xue Y, Long L, Zhang K (2018a) Characteristics and batch experiments of acid- and alkali-modified corncob biomass for nitrate removal from aqueous solution. Environ Sci Pollut Res:1–9

  • Hu XL, Xue YW, Liu LN, Zeng YF, Long L (2018b) Preparation and characterization of Na2S-modified biochar for nickel removal. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:9887–9895

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jung KW, Lee S, Lee YJ (2017) Synthesis of novel magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4)/biochar magnetic composites and its adsorption behavior for phosphate in aqueous solutions. Bioresour Technol 245:751–759

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kang J, Duan X, Wang C, Sun H, Tan X, Tade MO, Wang S (2018) Nitrogen-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes with Ni encapsulation for persulfate activation to remove emerging contaminants with excellent catalytic stability. Chem Eng J 332:398–408

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu G, Zhou Y, Liu Z, Zhang J, Tang B, Yang S, Sun C (2016a) Efficient nitrate removal using micro-electrolysis with zero valent iron/activated carbon nanocomposite. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 91:2942–2949

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Xue Y, Gao F, Cheng X, Yang K (2016b) Removal of ammonium from aqueous solutions using alkali-modified biochars. Chem Speciat Bioavailab 28:26–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long L, Xue Y, Zeng Y, Yang K, Lin C (2017) Synthesis, characterization and mechanism analysis of modified crayfish shell biochar possessed ZnO nanoparticles to remove trichloroacetic acid. J Clean Prod 166:1244–1252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu X, Jiang J, Sun K, Zhu G, Lin G (2016) Enhancement of Pb2+ removal by activating carbon spheres/activated carbon composite material with H2O vapor. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 506:637–645

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patwardhan SV, Emami FS, Berry RJ, Jones SE, Naik RR, Deschaume O, Heinz H, Perry CC (2012) Chemistry of aqueous silica nanoparticle surfaces and the mechanism of selective peptide adsorption. J Am Chem Soc 134:6244

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu Y, Moore S, Hurt R, Külaots I (2017) Influence of external heating rate on the structure and porosity of thermally exfoliated graphite oxide. Carbon 111:651

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar B, Mandal S, Tsang YF, Kumar P, Kim KH, Yong SO (2018) Designer carbon nanotubes for contaminant removal in water and wastewater: a critical review. Sci Total Environ 612:561–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sembiring S, Simanjuntak W, Manurung P, Asmi D, Low IM (2014) Synthesis and characterisation of gel-derived mullite precursors from rice husk silica. Ceram Int 40:7067–7072

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sofer Z, Jankovský O, Šimek P, Sedmidubský D, Šturala J, Kosina J, Mikšová R, Macková A, Mikulics M, Pumera M (2015) Insight into the mechanism of the thermal reduction of graphite oxide: deuterium-labeled graphite oxide is the key. ACS Nano 9:5478–5485

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanboonchuy V, Hsu JC, Grisdanurak N, Liao CH (2011) Impact of selected solution factors on arsenate and arsenite removal by nanoiron particles. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18:857–864

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tytak A, Oleszczuk P, Dobrowolski R (2015) Sorption and desorption of Cr(VI) ions from water by biochars in different environmental conditions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:5985–5994

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Villegas-Guzman P, Hofer F, Silva-Agredo J, Torres-Palma RA (2017) Role of sulfate, chloride, and nitrate anions on the degradation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics by photoelectro-Fenton. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:28175–28189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wan S, Wang S, Li Y, Gao B (2017) Functionalizing biochar with Mg–Al and Mg–Fe layered double hydroxides for removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions. J Ind Eng Chem 47:246–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang SS, Gao B, Zimmerman AR, Li YC, Ma L, Harris WG, Migliaccio KW (2015) Removal of arsenic by magnetic biochar prepared from pinewood and natural hematite. Bioresour Technol 175:391–395

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang B, S-y L, F-y L, Z-p F (2016) Removal of nitrate from constructed wetland in winter in high-latitude areas with modified hydrophyte biochars. Korean J Chem Eng 34:717–722

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang S, Li X, Liu Y, Zhang C, Tan X, Zeng G, Song B, Jiang L (2017) Nitrogen-containing amino compounds functionalized graphene oxide: synthesis, characterization and application for the removal of pollutants from wastewater: a review. J Hazard Mater 342:177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao Y, Xue Y, Gao F, Mosa A (2017) Sorption of heavy metal ions onto crayfish shell biochar: effect of pyrolysis temperature, pH and ionic strength. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng

  • Xu X, Hu X, Ding Z, Chen Y, Gao B (2017) Waste-art-paper biochar as an effective sorbent for recovery of aqueous Pb(II) into value-added PbO nanoparticles. Chem Eng J 308:863–871

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xue YW, Gao B, Yao Y, Inyang M, Zhang M, Zimmerman AR, Ro KS (2012) Hydrogen peroxide modification enhances the ability of biochar (hydrochar) produced from hydrothermal carbonization of peanut hull to remove aqueous heavy metals: batch and column tests. Chem Eng J 200:673–680

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xue L, Gao B, Wan Y, Fang J, Wang S, Li Y, Muñoz-Carpena R, Yang L (2016) High efficiency and selectivity of MgFe-LDH modified wheat-straw biochar in the removal of nitrate from aqueous solutions. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 63:312–317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yao Y, Gao B, Inyang M, Zimmerman AR, Cao XD, Pullammanappallil P, Yang LY (2011) Biochar derived from anaerobically digested sugar beet tailings: characterization and phosphate removal potential. Bioresour Technol 102:6273–6278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yao Y, Gao B, Zhang M, Inyang M, Zimmerman AR (2012) Effect of biochar amendment on sorption and leaching of nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate in a sandy soil. Chemosphere 89:1467–1471

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu F, Zhou Y, Gao B, Qiao H, Li Y, Wang E, Pang L, Bao C (2016) Effective removal of ionic liquid using modified biochar and its biological effects. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 67:318–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Gao B, Yao Y, Xue YW, Inyang M (2012) Synthesis of porous MgO-biochar nanocomposites for removal of phosphate and nitrate from aqueous solutions. Chem Eng J 210:26–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Gao B, Yao Y, Inyang M (2013) Phosphate removal ability of biochar/MgAl-LDH ultra-fine composites prepared by liquid-phase deposition. Chemosphere 92:1042–1047

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Wang X, Xionghui J, Ma L (2016) Efficient arsenate removal by magnetite-modified water hyacinth biochar. Environ Pollut 216:575–583

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their invaluable insight and helpful suggestions.

Funding

This work was partially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2042016kf0173) and the Wuhan Water Engineering & Technology Co. Ltd.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

    Li Long, Yingwen Xue, Xiaolan Hu & Ying Zhu

Authors
  1. Li Long
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yingwen Xue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiaolan Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ying Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yingwen Xue.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Tito Roberto Cadaval Jr

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Long, L., Xue, Y., Hu, X. et al. Study on the influence of surface potential on the nitrate adsorption capacity of metal modified biochar. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 3065–3074 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3815-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3815-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation