Corncob Biochar Activation by Phosphoric Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide for Enhancing Ammonium Adsorption

Abstract

Biochar is a multifunctional carbon-pore material that can be used as a soil amendment and an adsorbent biomaterial for water treatment. Nitrogen is one of the nutrients that causes water eutrophication in aquatic environments. In this study, corncob biochar (CBB) characterizations were modified using phosphoric acid (P-CCB) and hydrogen peroxide (H-CCB) to improve ammonium removal efficiency from synthetic wastewater. The biochar physiochemical properties were investigated, including ash content, pH, total elements, functional groups, surface area, and morphological structure. A batch kinetic trial extended to 24 h was carried out to evaluate the adsorption efficiency of ammonium (40 mg L -1 ) by the three biochar types; moreover, four kinetic models were tested. The results revealed that the acid oxidation process reduced ash content, pH, and total carbon content values. At the