Exploring the Adsorption of Pb on Microalgae-Derived Biochar: A Versatile Material for Environmental Remediation and Electroanalytical Applications

Autor: Gilberto Binda, Davide Faccini, Martina Zava, Andrea Pozzi, Carlo Dossi, Damiano Monticelli, Davide Spanu
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Chemosensors, Vol 10, Iss 5, p 168 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2227-9040
DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors10050168
Popis: Biochar, a carbon material obtained by pyrolysis of biomasses, is increasingly applied in environmental remediation and sensing thanks to its functional properties, cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. The adsorption capacity of biochar, strictly dependent on its specific surface area, heteroatom doping and surface functional groups, is crucial for these applications. Here, biochar produced at low temperature (350 °C) from a marine microalga (Nannochloropsis sp.) is proposed as an efficient adsorbent of lead (II) ions in aqueous solution; this production strategy promotes the natural self-doping of biochar without requiring harsh conditions. The kinetics and thermodynamics of the adsorption process, as well as the effect of pH, ionic strength and dissolved organic matter on the adsorption efficiency were systematically assessed. The microalgae-derived biochar shows superior adsorption performances compared to a nutshell-derived one (used as a reference of lignocellulosic feedstocks) under all the tested conditions. The microalgae-derived biochar was finally used to decorate screen-printed carbon electrodes to improve the electroanalytical performances towards the voltammetric detection of lead (II) ions. A two-fold increase in sensitivity was obtained compared to the unmodified electrode thanks to the enhanced electron transfer and adsorption properties provided by biochar. These results highlight the potentialities of microalgae-derived biochar for environmental and sensing applications.
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