Specifically Designed Amine Functional Group Doped Sludge Biochar for Inorganic and Organic Arsenic Removal

Abstract Usages of hospital sludge as a biochar adsorbent for wastewater treatment plants were investigated. Microwave carbonization was used to carbonize the sludge and then chemically activated with ZnCl 2 to increase surface area and porosity. A newly designed amine functional group’s (DETA) doped sludge biochar carbon (SBC) presents effective inorganic arsenic (As(III), As 2 O 3 ) and organic arsenic (p-ASA, C 2 H 7 AsO 2 ) adsorption in water. The pore volume, pore size distribution and specific surface area were determined by performing nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements (BET). The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) of the SBC was recorded to study the functional groups at room temperature. The composition of SBC was further determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In order to understand the effect of amine functional complexes on arsenic adsorption, the adsorption mechanism of As 2 O 3 and p-ASA on SBC surfaces modified with amine functional complexes was studied using density functional theory (DFT). Results showed that both physical and chemical adsorption of As 2 O 3 and p-ASA on SBC surfaces occurred. The participation of amine functional complexes greatly promoted the surface activity of SBC surface and its adsorption capacity on arsenic. The physical adsorption energies of As 2 O 3 and p-ASA on SBC surface with amine functional complexes were -38.4 and -32.8 KJ mol -1 , respectively. Other hand, the chemical adsorption energies of As 2 O 3 and p-ASA on SBC surface with amine functional complexes were -92.9 KJ mol -1 and -98.5 KJ mol -1 , respectively.