Recovery of NH₄⁺ by corn cob produced biochars and its potential application as soil conditioner

Abstract

\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+} ion, a main pollutant in aquatic systems, not only causes eutrophication in rivers and lakes but also contributes to fish toxicity. In this study, an eco-friendly biosorbent was prepared from the pyrolysis of corn cob, a low-cost agricultural residue. The biochars produced by pyrolysis of corn cob at 400°C and 600°C were characterized and investigated as adsorbents for \mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-\mathrm{N} from an aqueous solution. The biochars were characterized through elemental analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller–N₂ surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the \mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+} adsorption process of the corn cob biochars. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted the adsorption process better than the Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models. Moreover, the adsorption process was well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Results of thermodynamic analysis suggested that adsorption was a nonspontaneous exothermic process. Biochars produced at 400°C had higher adsorption capacity than those produced at 600°C because of the presence of polar functional groups with higher acidity. The exhausted biochar can be potentially used as soil conditioner, which can provide 6.37 kg \mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+}-\mathrm{N}\cdot {\mathrm{t}}^{-\mathrm{1}} (N fertilizer per ton of biochar).

Keywords

corn cob / biochar / \mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{4}}^{+} adsorption / isotherm model / kinetic model

References

[1] Zhang Y, Yan R, Zou Z, Wang J, Rittmann B E. Improved nitrogen removal in dual-contaminated surface water by photocatalysis. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2012, 6(3): 428–436

[2] Hung C M, Lou J C, Lin C H. Removal of ammonia solutions used in catalytic wet oxidation processes. Chemosphere, 2003, 52(6): 989–995

[3] Ma Z H, Li Q, Yue Q Y, Gao B Y, Li W H, Xu X, Zhong Q Q. Adsorption removal of ammonium and phosphate from water by fertilizer controlled release agent prepared from wheat straw. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2011, 171(3): 1209–1217

[4] Vassileva P, Tzvetkova P, Nickolov R. Removal of ammonium ions from aqueous solutions with coal-based activated carbons modified by oxidation. Fuel, 2009, 88(2): 387–390

[5] Yan L. Basic study on the comprehensive utilization of the corn cob. Dissertation for the Master Degree. Jilin: Jilin University, 2009 (in Chinese)

[6] Chen X, Chen G, Chen L, Chen Y, Lehmann J, McBride M B, Hay A G. Adsorption of copper and zinc by biochars produced from pyrolysis of hardwood and corn straw in aqueous solution. Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102(19): 8877–8884

[7] Chen B, Chen Z. Sorption of naphthalene and 1-naphthol by biochars of orange peels with different pyrolytic temperatures. Chemosphere, 2009, 76(1): 127–133

[8] Mizuta K, Matsumoto T, Hatate Y, Nishihara K, Nakanishi T. Removal of nitrate-nitrogen from drinking water using bamboo powder charcoal. Bioresource Technology, 2004, 95(3): 255–257

[9] Yao Y, Gao B, Zhang M, Inyang M, Zimmerman A R. Effect of biochar amendment on sorption and leaching of nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate in a sandy soil. Chemosphere, 2012, 89(11): 1467–1471

[10] Petit C, Kante K, Bandosz T J. The role of sulfur-containing groups in ammonia retention on activated carbons. Carbon, 2010, 48(3): 654–667

[11] Seredych M, Petit C, Tamashausky A V, Bandosz T J. Role of graphite precursor in the performance of graphite oxides as ammonia adsorbents. Carbon, 2009, 47(2): 445–456

[12] Hale S E, Alling V, Martinsen V, Mulder J, Breedveld G D, Cornelissen G. The sorption and desorption of phosphate-P, ammonium-N and nitrate-N in cacao shell and corn cob biochars. Chemosphere, 2013, 91(11): 1612–1619

[13] Zhang G X, Zhang Q, Sun K, Liu X T, Zheng W J, Zhao Y. Sorption of simazine to corn straw biochars prepared at different pyrolytic temperatures. Environmental Pollution, 2011, 159(10): 2594– 2601

[14] Chun Y, Sheng G, Chiou C T, Xing B. Compositions and sorptive properties of crop residue-derived chars. Environmental Science & Technology, 2004, 38(17): 4649–4655

[15] Sureshkumar M K, Das D, Mallia M B, Gupta P C. Adsorption of uranium from aqueous solution using chitosan-tripolyphosphate (CTPP) beads. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2010, 184(1–3): 65–72

[16] Viswanathan N, Meenakshi S. Selective sorption of fluoride using Fe(III) loaded carboxylated chitosan beads. Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 2008, 129(6): 503–509

[17] Sekar M, Sakthi V, Rengaraj S. Kinetics and equilibrium adsorption study of lead(II) onto activated carbon prepared from coconut shell. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2004, 279(2): 307–313

[18] Cornelissen G, Gustafsson Ö, Bucheli T D, Jonker M T O, Koelmans A A, van Noort P C M. Extensive sorption of organic compounds to black carbon, coal, and kerogen in sediments and soils: mechanisms and consequences for distribution, bioaccumulation, and biodegradation. Environmental Science & Technology, 2005, 39(18): 6881–6895

[19] Wolbach W S, Anders E. Elemental carbon in sediments: determination and isotopic analysis in the presence of kerogen. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1989, 53(7): 1637–1647

[20] Zhao Y, Yang Y, Yang S, Wang Q, Feng C, Zhang Z. Adsorption of high ammonium nitrogen from wastewater using a novel ceramic adsorbent and the evaluation of the ammonium-adsorbed-ceramic as fertilizer. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2013, 393(0): 264–270

[21] Uğurlu M, Karaoğlu M H. Adsorption of ammonium from an aqueous solution by fly ash and sepiolite: isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic analysis. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2011, 139(1–3): 173–178

[22] Raji C, Anirudhan T S. Batch Cr(VI) removal by polyacrylamide-grafted sawdust: kinetics and thermodynamics. Water Research, 1998, 32(12): 3772–3780

[23] Liu H, Dong Y, Wang H, Liu Y. Ammonium adsorption from aqueous solutions by strawberry leaf powder: equilibrium, kinetics and effects of coexisting ions. Desalination, 2010, 263(1–3): 70–75

[24] Jellali S, Wahab M A, Anane M, Riahi K, Jedidi N. Biosorption characteristics of ammonium from aqueous solutions onto Posidonia oceanica (L.) fibers. Desalination, 2011, 270(1–3): 40–49

[25] Liang Z, Ni J. Improving the ammonium ion uptake onto natural zeolite by using an integrated modification process. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 166(1): 52–60

[26] Sarkhot D V, Ghezzehei T A, Berhe A A. Effectiveness of biochar for sorption of ammonium and phosphate from dairy effluent. Journal of Environmental Quality, 2013, 42(5): 1545–1554

[27] Lei L, Li X, Zhang X. Ammonium removal from aqueous solutions using microwave-treated natural Chinese zeolite. Separation and Purification Technology, 2008, 58(3): 359–366

[28] Karadag D, Koc Y, Turan M, Armagan B. Removal of ammonium ion from aqueous solution using natural Turkish clinoptilolite. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2006, 136(3): 604–609

[29] Steiner C, Teixeira W, Lehmann J, Nehls T, Macêdo J, Blum W H, Zech W. Long term effects of manure, charcoal and mineral fertilization on crop production and fertility on a highly weathered Central Amazonian upland soil. Plant and Soil, 2007, 291(1–2): 275–290

[30] Chan K Y, Van Zwieten L, Meszaros I, Downie A, Joseph S. Agronomic values of greenwaste biochar as a soil amendment. Soil Research (Collingwood, Vic.), 2007, 45(8): 629–634

[31] Chan K Y, Van Zwieten L, Meszaros I, Downie A, Joseph S. Using poultry litter biochars as soil amendments. Soil Research (Collingwood, Vic.), 2008, 46(5): 437–444

[32] Asai H, Samson B K, Stephan H M, Songyikhangsuthor K, Homma K, Kiyono Y, Inoue Y, Shiraiwa T, Horie T. Biochar amendment techniques for upland rice production in Northern Laos: 1. soil physical properties, leaf SPAD and grain yield. Field Crops Research, 2009, 111(1–2): 81–84

[33] Zhang A F, Liu Y M, Pan G X, Hussain Q, Li L Q, Zheng J W, Zhang X H. Effect of biochar amendment on maize yield and greenhouse gas emissions from a soil organic carbon poor calcareous loamy soil from Central China Plain. Plant and Soil, 2012, 351(1–2): 263–275

[34] Zhang W L, Wu S X, Ji H J, Kolbe H. Estimation of agricultural non-point source pollution in China and the alleviating strategies. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 2004, 37(07): 1008–1017 (in Chinese)

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (FRF-IC-11-001).

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11783-014-0682-9 and is accessible for authorized users.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg