Biochar from byproduct to high value added material – A new adsorbent for toxic metal ions removal from aqueous solutions

Abstract An activated biochar coming from pyrolysis of dead Posidonia oceanica residues has been tested as adsorbent material for Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions. The biomass, the activated and the non activated biochars were previously characterized by using several instrumental techniques. The pH of metal ion solution in kinetic and thermodynamic adsorption experiments was fixed at 5 whilst, the dependence on ionic medium, ionic strength and temperature have been evaluated carrying out batch experiments at different experimental conditions. Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy have been used to measure the metal ion concentr…