Low-Cost Biochar Adsorbents for Water Purification Including Microplastics Removal
Source abstract
Abstract
The applicability of steam activated pine and spruce bark biochar for storm water and wastewater purification has been investigated. Biochar samples produced from the bark of scots pine (Pinus sylvestrus) and spruce (Picea spp.) by conventional slow pyrolysis at 475 °C were steam activated at 800 °C. Steam activation was selected as a relatively inexpensive method for creating porous biochar adsorbents from the bark-containing sidestreams of the wood refining industry. A suite of standard analytical procedures were carried out to quantify the performance of the activated biochar in removing both cations and residual organics from aqueous media. Phenol and microplastics retention and cation exchange capacity were employed as key test parameters. Despite relatively low surface areas (200–600 m2/g), the steam-activated biochars were highly suitable adsorbents for the chemical species tested as well as for microplastics removal. The results indicate that ultra-high porosities are not necessary for satisfactory water purification, supporting the economic feasibility of bio-based adsorbent production.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Microplastics and Plastic Pollution · Recycling and Waste Management Techniques · Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, 02044 Espoo, Finland
Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland
Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland
Funding
Maa- ja MetsätalousministeriÖ
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