Dos Santos Antunes, Elsa, Vuppaladadiyam, Arun, Kumar, Ravinder, Vuppaladadiyam, Varsha, Sarmah, Ajit, Islam, Md Anwarul, and Dada, Tewodros Kassa (2022) A circular economy approach for phosphorus removal using algae biochar. Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy, 1. 100005.

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Abstract

In this study, a potential circular economy approach for macroalgae (Ulva ohnoi) was investigated considering the crucial stages of biorefinery. Important stages, such as drying of biomass, production of biochar (pyrolysis), and application of biochar for phosphorus removal were studied and reported. It is important to note that drying macroalgae biomass from an average wet basis moisture content of ca. 70–85% to a moisture content suitable for thermal conversion, ca. 10%, is a challenging task. The physicochemical properties of biomass as well as biochar were characterized and were correlated with their capacity to adsorb phosphorus (P). The initial thermal analysis of macroalgae biomass revealed that the major weight loss occurred between 150 and 550 °C. The kinetics of the pyrolysis process indicate the requirement of higher apparent activation energy in between 232 and 836 kJ mol−1. An increase in the pore diameter, surface area, and pore volume in the biochar was noticed when the temperature of the pyrolysis process was increased. The highest P adsorption (78 mg-P/ g biochar) during the batch experiments was noticed with biochar obtained at 700 °C and can be due to the availability of alkali and alkaline earth metals. The kinetic study for P adsorption was described well by a pseudo second-order model. Biochar produced from macroalgae biomass can be considered as environmentally beneficial and low-cost adsorbent for phosphorus recovery. The biochar after adsorption may be used in agriculture as a slow release fertiliser due to significant amount of brushite.

Item ID:	72552
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2772-8013
Keywords:	Algae, Biochar, Circular economy, Phosphorus removal, Adsorption, Pyrolysis
Copyright Information:	© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Date Deposited:	14 Jul 2022 00:24
FoR Codes:	40 ENGINEERING > 4004 Chemical engineering > 400402 Chemical and thermal processes in energy and combustion @ 35% 40 ENGINEERING > 4004 Chemical engineering > 400409 Separation technologies @ 30% 40 ENGINEERING > 4004 Chemical engineering > 400411 Water treatment processes @ 35%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1899 Other environmental management > 189999 Other environmental management not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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