Investigation Into the Effect of Ozonation on Biochar as a Function of Pyrolysis Temperature and Its Applications in Dye Removal
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
The need to sequester carbon from the global carbon cycle has never been greater; global warming continues unchecked as the world population is predicted to reach 10 billion by 2100. Converting waste biomass generated by agriculture and forestation activities into biochar for soil amendment not only removes carbon from the carbon cycle, but it also locks it in a highly stable form. Beyond biochar’s ability to retain soil water/nutrients and reduce fertilizer runoff when introduced into soils, research has indicated that cropland fertility can also be improved by biochars with high cation exchange capacity (CEC). Ozonation of biochar adds the carboxylic functional groups on biochar surfaces necessary for increased biochar CEC without requiring the use of hazardous reagents. To assess the ozonization methods which yield the greatest improvement to biochar adsorption capacity, a number of biochar sample materials were exposed to cationic and anionic aqueous solutions during a 10-day dye exposure experiment. Three treatments (non-ozonized control, dry-ozonized and wet-ozonized) of four biochar varieties made at different temperatures (P300, P400, P500 and RBC) were exposed to two different dyes, methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR). UV-Vis spectroscopy was utilized to determine the unbound dye molecules remaining in solution as a function of time. It was determined that all biochar samples tested had a greater capacity for the cationic dye, MB, than the anionic CR dye, with the RBC and P300 series close to 100% dye removal in solution by the end of 10 days exposure. These results suggest that ozonization not only leads to an increase in CEC but may also affect the biochar’s anion exchange capacity (AEC), an important property that needs more investigation.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
James W. Lee
College Affiliation
College of Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster
Disciplines
Environmental Chemistry
Session Title
Science Research #3
Location
Zoom Room AA
Start Date
3-20-2021 1:00 PM
End Date
3-20-2021 1:55 PM
Investigation Into the Effect of Ozonation on Biochar as a Function of Pyrolysis Temperature and Its Applications in Dye Removal
Zoom Room AA
The need to sequester carbon from the global carbon cycle has never been greater; global warming continues unchecked as the world population is predicted to reach 10 billion by 2100. Converting waste biomass generated by agriculture and forestation activities into biochar for soil amendment not only removes carbon from the carbon cycle, but it also locks it in a highly stable form. Beyond biochar’s ability to retain soil water/nutrients and reduce fertilizer runoff when introduced into soils, research has indicated that cropland fertility can also be improved by biochars with high cation exchange capacity (CEC). Ozonation of biochar adds the carboxylic functional groups on biochar surfaces necessary for increased biochar CEC without requiring the use of hazardous reagents. To assess the ozonization methods which yield the greatest improvement to biochar adsorption capacity, a number of biochar sample materials were exposed to cationic and anionic aqueous solutions during a 10-day dye exposure experiment. Three treatments (non-ozonized control, dry-ozonized and wet-ozonized) of four biochar varieties made at different temperatures (P300, P400, P500 and RBC) were exposed to two different dyes, methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR). UV-Vis spectroscopy was utilized to determine the unbound dye molecules remaining in solution as a function of time. It was determined that all biochar samples tested had a greater capacity for the cationic dye, MB, than the anionic CR dye, with the RBC and P300 series close to 100% dye removal in solution by the end of 10 days exposure. These results suggest that ozonization not only leads to an increase in CEC but may also affect the biochar’s anion exchange capacity (AEC), an important property that needs more investigation.