A Study on Modified Biochars for the Removal of Trichloroethylene (TCE)

Authors

Ashtin Hofert, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Christina Obra, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Suraj Venkat, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Padmanabhan Krishnaswamy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Erica Marti Ph.D., University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Files

Description

Biochar (BC), a biomass-derived black carbon with interconnected networks of micropores, is an economical substitute for conventional adsorbents, such as activated carbon. In this study, we investigated the effect of acid modification on the functional groups and adsorptive capacity of the biochar. The BC used here is prepared through pyrolysis at temperatures in the range between 700 °C and 900 °C in an argon gas inert environment from three different biomasses: walnut shells, pecan shells, and loblolly pine. Then, the BCs are modified using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and used for the remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene (TCE). The results can advance the understanding of different modification effects on BCs’ properties, aiming at the wide adoption of cost-effective and eco-friendly adsorbents.

Publication Date

Spring 2021

Language

English

Keywords

Biochar; Pyrolysis; Trichloroethylene (TCE); Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)

Disciplines

Engineering

File Format

pdf

File Size

2187 KB

Comments

Faculty Mentor: Jaeyun Moon, Ph.D.

Recommended Citation

Hofert, Ashtin; Obra, Christina; Venkat, Suraj; Krishnaswamy, Padmanabhan; and Marti, Erica Ph.D., "A Study on Modified Biochars for the Removal of Trichloroethylene (TCE)" (2021). Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters. 12.
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/durep_posters/12