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Highly Efficient Removal of Cadmium by Sulfur-Modified Biochar: Process and Mechanism

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Abstract

The problems of biochar such as low adsorption capacity and slow adsorption rate limit its application in removing cadmium from water. However, the modification for enhancing the efficiency and expanding the application of biochar is a good way. In this paper, sulfur-modified biochar (SBC) derived from bagasse was prepared by impregnation pyrolysis at 500 °C. Sulfur was successfully loaded on the surface of biochar by SEM–EDS analysis and the specific surface area of SBC could be significantly increased by BET analysis. Batch experiments showed that the cadmium removal efficiency by SBC could reach more than 90% within 10 min, and the maximum adsorption capacity of cadmium was 268.2 mg g−1, which was 22.35 times as high as that of unmodified biochar. Ion exchange with Na+, surface precipitation (CdCO3 and CdS), complexation with C-SH, S–O, and COOH, and electrostatic interaction were the main mechanisms by XRD, FT-IR, and XPS analysis.

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Data Availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

The study was supported by Science and Technology Program Project of Qingyuan (2022KJJH019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Kai Zhang & Zhanqiang Fang

  2. School of Environment, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, 525000, China

    Yang Chen

  3. SCNU Qingyuan Institute of Science and Technology Innovation Co., Ltd., Qingyuan, 511500, China

    Zhanqiang Fang

  4. Normal University Environmental Remediation Technology Co., Ltd, Qingyuan, 511500, China

    Zhanqiang Fang

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  1. Kai Zhang
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Correspondence to Zhanqiang Fang.

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Zhang, K., Chen, Y. & Fang, Z. Highly Efficient Removal of Cadmium by Sulfur-Modified Biochar: Process and Mechanism. Water Air Soil Pollut 234, 26 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-06005-w

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