Publication detail

Microalgae-derived nanoporous biochar for ammonia removal in sustainable wastewater treatment

ZHANG, X. KAŠTYL, J. CASAS LUNA, M. HAVLÍČEK, L. VONDRA, M. BRUMMER, V. SUKAČOVÁ, K. MÁŠA, V. TENG, S. NEUGEBAUER, P.

Original Title

Microalgae-derived nanoporous biochar for ammonia removal in sustainable wastewater treatment

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Ammonia is a critical pollutant in biological wastewater and is not easily separated mechanically due to similar physical properties (e.g., molecular weight, polarity, etc.) to water. Currently, an agent for ammonia removal from wastewater using zeolites must be mined, which is not environmental-friendly. The development of a sustainable and biological absorbent for ammonia-containing wastewater is therefore desirable. Since microalgae can grow rapidly by feeding on waste nutrients in wastewater and up-taking carbon dioxide flue gas, it is of high interest to be used as a bio-absorbent for secondary wastewater treatment. The problem statement of this work is to explore and understand the use of microalgae as a biological source for effective ammonia absorbent. In this work, nanoporous microalgae biochar (NP-MBC) is proposed to be synthesized by using formaldehyde-stabilized hydrothermal and KOH-activated high-temperature pyrolysis. The novelty of this work is that the mechanism for NP-MBC ammonia removal is being uncovered via spectroscopic and sorption analysis. Formaldehyde-stabilization maintains the morphology of the microalgae particles for higher quality pore formation during pyrolysis. Pyrolysis temperatures up to 700 degrees C improve pore structure and surface chemistry of the NP-MBC, leading to a specific surface area of 1137 m(2).g(-1) and increased activation of COO- groups for ammonia adsorption. Further pyrolysis at 800 degrees C damages the textual characteristics of the synthesized NP-MBC, causing pores agglomeration and lower ammonia adsorption. The best ammonia adsorption performance was obtained on NP-MBC prepared by pyrolysis at 700 degrees C with maximum ammonia removal of 72 % (within 120 min) and adsorption capacity over 69 mg.g(-1). Nanoporous structure by stabilized hydrothermal treatment and high-temperature pyrolysis are interesting as a paradigm to convert particulate biomass feedstock to functional material with tunable properties.

Keywords

Nanoporous Carbon; Microalgae; Biochar; Ammonia removal; Wastewater treatment; Bio-adsorption

Authors

ZHANG, X.; KAŠTYL, J.; CASAS LUNA, M.; HAVLÍČEK, L.; VONDRA, M.; BRUMMER, V.; SUKAČOVÁ, K.; MÁŠA, V.; TENG, S.; NEUGEBAUER, P.

Released

1. 12. 2022

Publisher

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Location

OXFORD

ISBN

2213-3437

Periodical

Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering

Year of study

10

Number

6

State

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Pages count

15

URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213343722013872?via%3Dihub

BibTex

@article{BUT181662,
  author="Xixia {Zhang} and Jaroslav {Kaštyl} and Mariano {Casas Luna} and Lubomír {Havlíček} and Marek {Vondra} and Vladimír {Brummer} and Kateřina {Sukačová} and Vítězslav {Máša} and Sin Yong {Teng} and Petr {Neugebauer}",
  title="Microalgae-derived nanoporous biochar for ammonia removal in sustainable wastewater treatment",
  journal="Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering",
  year="2022",
  volume="10",
  number="6",
  pages="15",
  doi="10.1016/j.jece.2022.108514",
  issn="2213-3437",
  url="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213343722013872?via%3Dihub"
}