Soil pesticide contamination induced by modern agriculture has become a serious global issue. Its uncontrolled and inefficient application is among the main reasons for their enrichment in plants and animals subsequently transferred to humans and providing a public health risk. Biochar as a renewable and economical carbonaceous material provides a natural solution for immobilizing pesticides and improving soil health. The biochar impact in agricultural contaminated soil is governed by various factors such as the physico-chemical properties of biochar, pyrolysis, soil conditions, and the application method, which can lead to significant gaps in the removal or mitigation of toxic substances. The current study summarizes the negative effects of pesticide use and the advantages of biochar according to other remediation techniques, succeeded by the mechanism and controlling factors on minimizing pesticide leaching and bioavailability in soil. In addition, the role of biochar on fundamental processes of adsorption, desorption, biodegradation, and leaching is discussed. Ultimately, the major future research regulation and key strategies that are fundamental for pesticide-contaminated soil remediation are proposed.
In this study, soy waste biomass (SW) resulting from oil extraction was treated with alkaline solution, and the obtained material (Na-SW) was used as biosorbent for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) ions from aqueous media. The performance of this biosorbent was examined in batch systems, at different initial metal ion concentrations and contact times (pH 3.4; 5 g of biosorbent/L). Isotherm and kinetic modeling was used to calculate the equilibrium and kinetics of the biosorption processes. The maximum biosorption capacity, calculated from the Langmuir isotherm model, followed the order Zn(II) (0.49 mmol/g) > Cd(II) (0.41 mmol/g) ≈ Pb(II) (0.40 mmol/g), while the kinetics of biosorption processes fit the pseudo-second-order model. Three cycles of biosorption/desorption were performed to estimate the reusability of Na-SW biosorbent, and the regeneration efficiency was higher than 97% in all cases. The practical applicability of Na-SW biosorbent in treating of wastewater contaminated with Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) ions was examined using simulated wastewater samples, and the main quality characteristics of the effluents obtained after treatment were evaluated. All these aspects highlight the potential applicability of Na-SW for large-scale wastewater treatment.
Rapeseed seeds are one of the most important categories of raw materials used to obtain biofuels. However, the biomass resulting after oil extraction is still considered waste, for which valorization solutions are sought. In this study, we propose the use of this type of residual biomass (rapeseed waste biomass (RWB)) as a biosorbent for the removal of toxic metal ions from aqueous media. Two toxic metal ions were selected for the experimental studies, namely: Pb(II) and Hg(II). The optimal biosorption conditions, for both metal ions, were selected based on response surface methodology and were verified experimentally in batch systems. More than 92% of the initial amount of Pb(II) and Hg(II) are retained under the following conditions: pH = 6.5 for Pb(II) and 4.0 for Hg(II); biosorbent dosage = 4.0 g/L; contact time = 3 h; temperature = 25 ± 1 °C. Isotherm (Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models) and kinetic (pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intra-particle diffusion models) modelling of the experimental data were used for the quantitative evaluation of both biosorption processes. Although the Langmuir maximum biosorption capacities are different (higher in the case of Pb(II) (61.97 mg/g) than in the case of Hg(II) (51.32 mg/g)), the pseudo-second order kinetic constants have the same order of magnitude. This shows that the retention of both metal ions involves similar elementary steps and that RWB behaves as a typical biosorbent. These characteristics, together with the very good desorption behavior, provide a complete picture of the possible applications of this waste in environmental decontamination processes.
Contemporary farming practices and rapid industrialization over the last few decades, have raised significant soil and water pollution with extreme toxic effects to humans and ecosystems. The widespread and inefficient use of pesticides, which surpass the soil’s self purification capability, has accelerated soil pollution. In this study, wheat straw biochar was obtained using the traditional pyrolysis technique and its characterization; in addition, the adsorption efficiency of metribuzin was investigated. Biochars’ physical and chemical characteristics were qualified using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A batch sorption test and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry were also used to assess the biochar efficiency. SEM and FTIR confirmed the highly reactive surfaces of biochar, establishing efficient biomass conversion in low-oxygen conditions. The adsorption process showed best fit with pseudo second-order kinetic and Langmuir models, suggesting a chemisorption procedure and monolayer-type removal. Regarding its environmental and agricultural application, wheat straw biochar can be advanced as a recommendation solution for further research, which is fundamental for soil rehabilitation and the immobilization of contaminations.
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