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Application of Novel Biochar Derived from Experimental Sewage Sludge Gasification as an Adsorbent for Heavy Metals Removal

Author

Listed:
  • Domagoj Nakić

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Hana Posavčić

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Katarina Licht

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia)

  • Dražen Vouk

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia)

Abstract

The growing amounts of sewage sludge (SS) and water pollution caused by heavy metals are major environmental concerns. This study addresses both issues by investigating the potential of biochar derived from SS gasification at an experimental plant as an effective adsorbent for the removal of selected heavy metals, cadmium, chromium, copper, and lead, from synthetic wastewater. A Box–Behnken design was used to determine the influence of the biochar mass, initial heavy metal concentration, pH, and time on the heavy metal removal. For the statistical analysis, 104 experiments were performed. The pristine SS biochar demonstrated an adsorption capacity reaching up to 46.64 mg/g for Cd, 43.89 mg/g for Cr, 42.42 mg/g for Cu, and 72.66 mg/g for Pb from single-component synthetic solutions in acidic-to-neutral conditions, with an over 99% removal efficiency for all four heavy metals under optimal conditions. The removal of all the tested metals followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, with Cd fitting the Langmuir model and Pb, Cr, and Cu fitting the Freundlich model. This paper also provides suggestions for further research focused on the multiple uses of biochar as an adsorbent and later as a substitute material in the construction industry, aiming to achieve an integrated approach and maximizing the overall sustainability of wastewater treatment and waste management by utilizing waste as a resource.

Suggested Citation

  • Domagoj Nakić & Hana Posavčić & Katarina Licht & Dražen Vouk, 2025. "Application of Novel Biochar Derived from Experimental Sewage Sludge Gasification as an Adsorbent for Heavy Metals Removal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-27, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:997-:d:1577496
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ramachandran, Srikkanth & Yao, Zhiyi & You, Siming & Massier, Tobias & Stimming, Ulrich & Wang, Chi-Hwa, 2017. "Life cycle assessment of a sewage sludge and woody biomass co-gasification system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 369-376.
    2. Xia Li & Hongyu Jia & Lihua Jiang & Zhengwei Mou & Bo Zhang & Zihui Zhang & Yan Chen, 2024. "Biochar Prepared from Steam-Exploded Bitter Melon Vine for the Adsorption of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution: Kinetics, Isotherm, Thermodynamics and Mechanism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Beata Doczekalska & Natalia Ziemińska & Krzysztof Kuśmierek & Andrzej Świątkowski, 2024. "Activated Carbons Derived from Different Parts of Corn Plant and Their Ability to Remove Phenoxyacetic Herbicides from Polluted Water," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-18, August.
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