Plum pits waste biochar as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent targeting water contamination: An in-depth analysis of the impact of pyrolysis parameter changes on the adsorption mechanism

Plum pits waste biochar as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent targeting water contamination: An in-depth analysis of the impact of pyrolysis parameter changes on the adsorption mechanism | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Plum pits waste biochar as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent targeting water contamination: An in-depth analysis of the impact of pyrolysis parameter changes on the adsorption mechanism František Zažímal, Tomáš Lukáč, Adrián Bajnok, Lukáš Vrána, Aleš Stýskalík, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7687356/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 23 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Plum pits represent an abundant agricultural food by-product that remains largely unexploited despite its disposal costs and environmental burden. In this work, plum pits obtained from a distillery were valorized as feedstock for biochar production via slow pyrolysis (300–800°C). The resulting biochars were comprehensively characterized and evaluated for adsorption parameters of methylene blue and Pb²⁺ as model organic and inorganic pollutants. Adsorption efficiency strongly depended on pyrolysis temperature, with methylene blue removal peaking at 700°C and Pb²⁺ removal at 800°C. Principal Component Analysis identified surface area, C:O ratio, and aromaticity of structure as critical factors, while energy normalization highlighted 600°C as the most sustainable pyrolysis condition balancing performance, yield, and energy input. Importantly, preliminary adsorption efficiency tests with real wastewater containing pharmaceuticals and other organic micropollutants demonstrated proof-of-concept applicability of plum pit biochar under complex environmental conditions. Although activation will be further required to enhance sorption efficiency, the results underline that plum pits can be transformed from problematic waste into effective biochars, offering dual benefits for wastewater treatment and sustainable waste management within a circular economy framework. plum pits biochar adsorption PCA analysis normalized-energy consumption OMPs Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 23 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Waste Disposal & Sustainable Energy → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 30 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 30 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 17 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 14 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 14 Oct, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 27 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 25 Sep, 2025 First submitted to journal 22 Sep, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7687356","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":534707686,"identity":"ae756d84-02c5-44c8-893d-0e0eca492a4c","order_by":0,"name":"František 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mechanism","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"waste-disposal-and-sustainable-energy","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"wdse","sideBox":"Learn more about [Waste Disposal \u0026 Sustainable Energy](https://www.springer.com/journal/42768)","snPcode":"42768","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/42768/3","title":"Waste Disposal \u0026 Sustainable Energy","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"plum pits biochar, adsorption, PCA analysis, normalized-energy consumption, OMPs","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7687356/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7687356/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003ePlum pits represent an abundant agricultural food by-product that remains largely unexploited despite its disposal costs and environmental burden. In this work, plum pits obtained from a distillery were valorized as feedstock for biochar production via slow pyrolysis (300\u0026ndash;800\u0026deg;C). The resulting biochars were comprehensively characterized and evaluated for adsorption parameters of methylene blue and Pb\u0026sup2;⁺ as model organic and inorganic pollutants. Adsorption efficiency strongly depended on pyrolysis temperature, with methylene blue removal peaking at 700\u0026deg;C and Pb\u0026sup2;⁺ removal at 800\u0026deg;C. Principal Component Analysis identified surface area, C:O ratio, and aromaticity of structure as critical factors, while energy normalization highlighted 600\u0026deg;C as the most sustainable pyrolysis condition balancing performance, yield, and energy input. Importantly, preliminary adsorption efficiency tests with real wastewater containing pharmaceuticals and other organic micropollutants demonstrated proof-of-concept applicability of plum pit biochar under complex environmental conditions. Although activation will be further required to enhance sorption efficiency, the results underline that plum pits can be transformed from problematic waste into effective biochars, offering dual benefits for wastewater treatment and sustainable waste management within a circular economy framework.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Plum pits waste biochar as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent targeting water contamination: An in-depth analysis of the impact of pyrolysis parameter changes on the adsorption mechanism","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-29 04:11:34","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7687356/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-10-31T03:17:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-30T10:22:39+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-17T10:37:04+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"144662578098813715053233129111954598649","date":"2025-10-15T07:39:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"287135915348642453524316874263669075599","date":"2025-10-15T03:43:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-15T03:12:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-09-27T05:16:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-09-25T14:24:06+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Waste Disposal \u0026 Sustainable Energy","date":"2025-09-22T19:02:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"waste-disposal-and-sustainable-energy","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"wdse","sideBox":"Learn more about [Waste Disposal \u0026 Sustainable Energy](https://www.springer.com/journal/42768)","snPcode":"42768","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/42768/3","title":"Waste Disposal \u0026 Sustainable Energy","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f59409fd-8d5d-4d3d-ba0a-e6ab85f238d5","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 29th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-30T16:25:21+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7687356","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42768-026-00286-1","journal":{"identity":"waste-disposal-and-sustainable-energy","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Waste Disposal \u0026 Sustainable Energy"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-23 16:09:48","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 23rd, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-29 04:11:34","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s42768-026-00286-1","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42768-026-00286-1","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7687356","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7687356","identity":"rs-7687356","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}