Optimization of target biochar for the adsorption of target heavy metal ion

Abstract The purpose of this work is to study the pyrolysis conditions of target biochar suitable for target heavy metal ion, to characterize the optimized target biochar, and to study the adsorption performance of biochar. With Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ as the target pollutants, the pyrolysis conditions involved in the preparation process as pyrolysis temperature, pyrolysis time, and heating rate were evaluated and optimized from Box–Behnken Design (BBD), response surface methodology (RSM) and desirability function, the optimized pyrolysis conditions of target biochar for Cu 2+ (Cu-BC) and Zn 2+ (Zn-BC) were obtained. The optimum pyrolysis parameters for Cu-BC and Zn-BC were pyrolysis time of 3.09 and 2.19 h, pyrolysis temperature of 425.27 and 421.97 °C, and heating rate of 19.65 and 15.88 °C/min. The pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm model proved to be the best fit for the equilibrium data, with a maximum adsorption capacity ( Q max ) fitted by Langmuir model were 210.56 mg/g for Cu 2+ by Cu-BC and 223.32 mg/g for Zn 2+ by Zn-BC, which were both higher than the Q max of unoptimized biochar (BC) for Cu 2+ (177.66 mg/g) and Zn 2+ (146.14 mg/g). The physical properties, chemical structure, surface chemistry properties of Cu-BC and Zn-BC were characterized by Zeta potential meter, Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This study puts forward a new perspective for optimizing target biochar production for special environmental application.