Selectively Improving the Bio-Oil Quality by Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Heavy-Metal-Polluted Biomass: Take Copper (Cu) as an Example

Abstract

Heavy-metal-polluted biomass derived from phytoremediation or biosorption is widespread and difficult to be disposed of. In this work, simultaneous conversion of the waste woody biomass into bio-oil and recovery of Cu in a fast pyrolysis reactor were investigated. The results show that Cu can effectively catalyze the thermo-decomposition of biomass. Both the yield and high heating value (HHV) of the Cu-polluted fir sawdust biomass (Cu-FSD) derived bio-oil are significantly improved compared with those of the fir sawdust (FSD) derived bio-oil. The results of UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectra of bio-oil indicate pyrolytic lignin is further decomposed into small-molecular aromatic compounds by the catalysis of Cu, which is in agreement with the GC-MS results that the fractions of C7-C10 compounds in the bio-oil significantly increase. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of the migration and transformation of Cu in the fast pyrolysis process show that more than 91% of the total Cu in the Cu-FSD is enriched in the char in the form of zerovalent Cu with a face-centered cubic crystalline phase. This study gives insight into catalytic fast pyrolysis of heavy metals, and demonstrates the technical feasibility of an eco-friendly process for disposal of heavy-metal-polluted biomass.

Facile synthesis of highly efficient and recyclable magnetic solid acid from biomass waste

“…The dried biomass was crushed using a high-speed rotary cutting mill, and the biomass with the particle size smaller than 120 mesh were collected. The proximate analysis and elemental composition of the biomass were determined and the results were reported in our previous work24.…”

“…In our continuing efforts toward biomass waste disposal and resource recovery24252627, we have developed a rapid, low-cost, and readily scalable approach for synthesizing a magnetic porous carbonaceous solid acid catalyst (MPC–SO 3 H) by using biomass waste as a precursor. This method involves fast pyrolysis of Fe-preloaded biomass to produce MPC material; subsequent sulfonation of the obtained material is used to prepare a solid acid catalyst.…”

A green method to increase yield and quality of bio-oil: ultrasonic pretreatment of biomass and catalytic upgrading of bio-oil over metal (Cu, Fe and/or Zn)/γ-Al2O3

“…There are many ways to improve the bio-oil quality including catalytic cracking, decarboxylation, decarbonylation, oligomerization and dehydrogenation with the assistance of various catalysts such as HZSM-5, Al-MCM-41, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 and Al 2 O 3 . 28 Liu et al 29 directly loaded Cu on sawdust biomass by impregnation method and found that the sawdust can be decomposed into small-molecular aromatics and the fractions of C 7 -C 10 compounds in the bio-oil are increased signicantly. They found that HZSM-5 shows the most effective in production of aromatic hydrocarbon from the pyrolysis of biomass when compared with other kinds of zeolites.…”

The Efficient and Sustainable Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass by Catalytic Processes

“…Ni and Co catalysts were found more reactive than Fe but were deactivated faster [210]. Copper can effectively catalyse the thermodecomposition of biomass [211].…”