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Comparison of Heavy Metal Adsorption by Peat Moss and Peat Moss-Derived Biochar Produced Under Different Carbonization Conditions

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Abstract

Biochar has attracted recent research interest as a metal adsorbent. The heavy metal adsorption capacity of biochar can be controlled by the carbonization of biochar. The adsorption characteristics of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Cd) by peat moss-derived biochars produced under different carbonization conditions were investigated by a series of batch experiments. Biochars were produced by the pyrolysis of peat moss over a temperature range of 400–1000 °C for 30–90 min. Biochar produced at 800 °C for 90 min was the most efficient for the removal of Pb and Cu, when weight loss ratio was considered. The pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models adequately described kinetics and isotherms, respectively, of heavy metal adsorption on peat moss-derived biochar, indicating that heavy metal ions were chemically adsorbed on the adsorption sites as uniform monolayer. The peat moss-derived biochar showed the highest maximum adsorption capacity for Pb (81.3 mg/g), followed by Cd and Cu, which were 39.8 and 18.2 mg/g, respectively. This study shows that peat moss-derived biochar is an effective adsorbent to remediate heavy metal-contaminated water.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education [No. 2012R1A1A4A01014928] and the Basic Research Project of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNTECH), Jinju, Gyeongnam, 660-758, South Korea

    Seul-Ji Lee & Jae Woo Chung

  2. Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, 305-350, South Korea

    Jin Hee Park

  3. Department of Energy Engineering, GNTECH, Jinju, Gyeongnam, 660-758, South Korea

    Yong-Tae Ahn & Jae Woo Chung

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  1. Seul-Ji Lee
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Correspondence to Jae Woo Chung.

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Lee, SJ., Park, J.H., Ahn, YT. et al. Comparison of Heavy Metal Adsorption by Peat Moss and Peat Moss-Derived Biochar Produced Under Different Carbonization Conditions. Water Air Soil Pollut 226, 9 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-014-2275-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-014-2275-4

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