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Optimization of pig manure-derived biochar for ammonium and phosphate simultaneous recovery from livestock wastewater

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Abstract

Livestock wastewater has led to serious eco-environmental issues. To effectively treat livestock wastewater and realize the resource utilization of livestock solid waste, manure waste has been widely used to prepare biochar for the recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus. However, fresh biochar has a poor ability to adsorb phosphate due to its negative charge. To overcome the defect, the proportion of biochar samples prepared at 400 °C and 700 °C was optimized under a mass ratio of 2:3 to obtain mixed biochar PM 4-7, achieving the purpose of enhanced ammonium and phosphate recovery in livestock wastewater simultaneously without any modification. The effects of pyrolysis temperature, dosage, and pH were studied, different adsorption models were used to explore the adsorption mechanism, and the effect of biochar loaded with nutrient elements on seed was verified through a seed germination experiment. It was revealed that the maximum removal rates of phosphate and ammonium were 33.88 % and 41.50 %, respectively, endorsing that mixed biochar PM 4-7 can recover nutrients from livestock wastewater, and could be used as a slow-release fertilizer to promote seed germination and growth. This method provides a new potential way for the efficient resource utilization of pig manure and the recovery of nutrients from breeding wastewater.

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The datasets used and analyzed during the current study will be provided on reasonable request. And all materials used during this study are included in this manuscript.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Key Project of Science and Technology Department of Guizhou Province [ZK(2022)016], the Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Development Project (QKZYD [2022]4022), the Special Research Fund of Natural Science (Special Post) of Guizhou University [(2020)01], the Key Cultivation Program of Guizhou University [2019(08)], and the Students Innovation Fund of Guizhou University.

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Sirui Ji is assigned to the methodology, formal analysis, and writing—original draft. Fang Zhang, Panpan Yao, and Chunlan Li are assigned to formal analysis. Muhammad Faheem is involved in formal analysis, and writing—review and editing. Qianwei Feng is involved in formal analysis and writing—review and editing. Miao Chen is involved in writing—review and editing. Bing Wang is also involved in conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, and writing—review and editing.

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Correspondence to Bing Wang.

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Highlights

• A novel method for simultaneous recovery of ammonium and phosphate was provided.

• The proportion of pyrolysis biochar for synergistic adsorption was optimized.

• Spent biochar loaded with ammonium and phosphate was used as a slow-release fertilizer.

• An economic closed loop of treating waste with waste was proposed.

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Ji, S., Zhang, F., Yao, P. et al. Optimization of pig manure-derived biochar for ammonium and phosphate simultaneous recovery from livestock wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 82532–82546 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28092-w

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