Adsorption Mechanisms and Characteristics of Hg<sup>2+</sup> Removal by Different Fractions of Biochar: Fid-Bau Portal

Adsorption Mechanisms and Characteristics of Hg²⁺ Removal by Different Fractions of Biochar

Xiaoli Guo / Menghong Li / Aijv Liu / Man Jiang / Xiaoyin Niu / Xinpeng Liu

The adsorption mechanisms of mercury ion (Hg²⁺) by different fractions of biochar were studied, providing a theoretical basis and practical value for the use of biochar to remediate mercury contamination in water. Biochar (RC) was prepared using corn straw as the raw material. It was then fractionated, resulting in inorganic carbon (IC), organic carbon (OC), hydroxyl-blocked carbon (BHC), and carboxyl-blocked carbon (BCC). Before and after Hg²⁺ adsorption, the biochar fractions were characterized by several techniques, such as energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Obtained results indicate that the reaction mechanisms of RC for Hg²⁺ removal mainly include electrostatic adsorption, ion exchange, reduction, precipitation, and complexation. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of RC for Hg²⁺ is 75.56 mg/g, and the adsorption contribution rates of IC and OC are approximately 22.4% and 77.6%, respectively. Despite the lower rate, IC shows the largest adsorption capacity, of 92.63 mg/g. This is attributed to all the mechanisms involved in Hg²⁺ adsorption by IC, with ion exchange being the main reaction mechanism (accounting for 39.8%). The main adsorption mechanism of OC is the complexation of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups with Hg²⁺, accounting for 71.6% of the total OC contribution. BHC and BCC adsorb mercury mainly via the reduction–adsorption mechanism, accounting for 54.6% and 54.5%, respectively. Among all the adsorption mechanisms, the complexation reaction of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups with Hg²⁺ is the dominant effect.