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Aqueous Mercury Sorption by Biochar from Malt Spent Rootlets

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Abstract

Biochar produced from malt spent rootlets was employed for the removal of Hg(II) from pure aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were conducted at 25 °C. The optimum pH value for Hg(II) sorption onto biochar was 5. Biomass dose and contact time were examined to determine sorption kinetics and equilibrium capacity constants. The increase of biochar dose resulted in higher sorption efficiency. After a 24-h contact time at biochar concentrations of 0.3 and 1 g/L, the Hg(II) removal was 71 and 100 %, respectively. Based on the sorption kinetic data, the biochar sorption capacity for mercury reached its maximum after 2 h; 33 % of Hg(II) was removed within the first 5 min. Based on the isotherm data, the maximum biochar sorption capacity for Hg(II) was 103 mg/g. Finally, HCl, EDTA, NaCl, HNO3, H2SO4, and distilled water leaching solutions were tested for Hg(II) desorption with HCl being the most effective.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the following people from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Patras: K.N. Fotopoulou for BET measurements and t plots; V.A. Anagnostopoulos and Ch. Kordulis for helpful discussions; and from the Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas (FORTH), Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes (FORTH/ICE-HT): A.S. Beobide for ATR infrared spectroscopy measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, 26504, Greece

    Lamprini G. Boutsika & Hrissi K. Karapanagioti

  2. Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, Patras, 26504, Greece

    Ioannis D. Manariotis

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  1. Lamprini G. Boutsika
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  2. Hrissi K. Karapanagioti
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  3. Ioannis D. Manariotis
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Correspondence to Ioannis D. Manariotis.

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Boutsika, L.G., Karapanagioti, H.K. & Manariotis, I.D. Aqueous Mercury Sorption by Biochar from Malt Spent Rootlets. Water Air Soil Pollut 225, 1805 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1805-9

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