Scholarly record

BIOCHAR AS A SORBENT FOR WATER REMEDIATION: SORPTION OF VINYL CHLORIDE IN GROUNDWATER

Marijana Kragulj Isakovski, Jelena Molnar Jazić, Snežana Maletić, Aleksandra Tubić, Jasmina Agbaba

Abstract

This study assesses low-cost biochars produced from locally available agricultural residues, corn (BC-corn) and straw (BC-straw), as reactive sorbents for in situ groundwater remediation of vinyl chloride (VC). Biochars were obtained by slow pyrolysis under inert atmosphere and characterized by N2-BET at 77 K, CHNS, FTIR, XRD, and SEM/EDS. Sorption experiments were performed at 20+/-2 C in a synthetic aqueous matrix and in Danube alluvial groundwater containing elevated VC (11.6 to 17.8 ug/L) with typical background constituents. BET surface areas were 111 m2/g (BC-corn) and 61 m2/g (BC-straw); a commercial activated carbon (AC, 1002 m2/g) served as benchmark. VC sorption approached equilibrium in >3 h. In the synthetic matrix, removals were approx. 62% (AC), 55% (BC-corn), and 47% (BC-straw); in natural groundwater, all three sorbents achieved approx. 60% removal. Freundlich modeling gave strong fits (R2 = 0.972-0.999; n less than 1), indicating heterogeneous surfaces. Calculated distribution coefficients (log Kd at low Ce) showed higher low-concentration affinity for BC-corn in the synthetic system, consistent with its larger surface area, whereas matrix effects in real water favored AC. Results indicate that regionally sourced biochars, especially BC-corn, can approach AC performance under certain conditions and are promising components of reactive barriers for VC attenuation, supporting circular economy goals and groundwater protection at the Strand wellfield.

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Dimensions ID: pub.1198570145

DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2025v/3.2/s11.07

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