Investigation of the Use of Biochar in the Removal of Lanthanides and Actinides from Aqueous Solutions
Project no. 29562 · Status: Kapanmış (Yayın bekleniyor) · 2023
Summary
<p>Among potentially toxic elements, contamination caused by lanthanide and actinide elements is a serious issue that must be addressed. Uranium, a member of the actinide group, is released as a result of activities such as electricity generation in nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel cycle operations, and processes involving radioactive materials. Lanthanum, a member of the lanthanide group, is found in industrial wastewater originating from a wide range of processes including the production of optical glass and ceramics, agriculture, iron and steel industries, and catalysis. Due to their toxic properties and long half-lives, lanthanides and actinides pose serious threats to human health, making their removal from waste solutions highly important.</p><p>With increasing urbanization and industrialization, there is a growing need for more effective and innovative approaches to remove toxic substances. Among the most economical and efficient methods applied for this purpose is adsorption. In the literature, various types of biomass have been used as adsorbents for the removal of metal ions and radionuclides. In recent years, many studies have focused on the use of biochar for the removal of organic pollutants and heavy metals.</p><p>In this project, biochar was synthesized from the biomass source <em>Ailanthus altissima</em> (Tree of Heaven) using the impregnation–pyrolysis method, and the impregnation and pyrolysis conditions were optimized. The synthesized biochar was characterized using BET surface area, VSM, SEM-EDS, FTIR, and point of zero charge analyses. The effects of parameters such as pH, contact time, and metal concentration on the removal of hazardous elements such as lanthanum and uranium from aqueous solutions were investigated using a statistical experimental design approach. Adsorption isotherms were applied, and desorption studies were conducted.</p><p>The study concluded that the biochar synthesized in this project is a promising adsorbent material that demonstrates effective performance in the rapid and efficient removal of contaminants such as lanthanum and uranium from wastewater.</p>