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Polyethyleneimine-modified biochar for enhanced phosphate adsorption

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Abstract

Biochar, a low-cost porous carbonaceous adsorbent, has low adsorption capacity for anion contaminants. The objective of this study was to improve biochar’s ability to adsorb phosphorus (P) through polyethyleneimine (PEI) modification to form an amine-functionalized biochar. Biochars prepared by pyrolysis of bamboo biomass, before and after PEI modification, were characterized using the Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), elemental analysis, and batch sorption experiments. The effects of pH, coexisting anions, and ionic strength on P adsorption by PEI-modified biochar were also investigated. Results indicated that PEI was successfully grafted onto biochar which resulted an increase in surface amine group and in P adsorption. The peak of P adsorption occurred at pH of three and adsorption of P was decreased with increasing of ionic strength and when coexisting ions, such as HCO3−, SO42−, NO3−, and Cl−, were coexisted. The electrostatic interaction between P and surface functional groups of PEI-modified biochar served as the primary mechanism controlling the adsorption process. These results indicate that chemically functionalized biochar with amine groups can enhance P adsorption.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Ashok Alva, Courtesy Professor at the University of Florida, and Dr. Cliff Martin for their valuable scientific suggestions and English editing on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Tropical Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA

    Tiantian Li, Yuncong C. Li & Ashley Smyth

  2. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Tiantian Li, Zhaohui Tong & Bin Gao

  3. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Tropical Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, Homestead, FL, 32031, USA

    Haimanote K. Bayabil

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  1. Tiantian Li
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  2. Zhaohui Tong
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  4. Yuncong C. Li
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  6. Haimanote K. Bayabil
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Correspondence to Yuncong C. Li.

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Li, T., Tong, Z., Gao, B. et al. Polyethyleneimine-modified biochar for enhanced phosphate adsorption. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 7420–7429 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07053-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07053-2

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