Summary
This laboratory study optimised poplar-derived biochars through pyrolysis temperature and chemical modification to maximise ammonium recovery from food industry and domestic wastewaters. Alkaline-modified biochar produced at 300 °C achieved the highest adsorption capacity (4.63 mg NH₄⁺/g) and 62% removal efficiency. The resulting ammonium-enriched biochars demonstrated substantial plant growth benefits in pot experiments, with up to 54% improvement in seed germination and up to 12-fold increase in plant biomass, suggesting slow-release fertiliser potential and applicability to nutrient recycling in agriculture.
UK applicability
The methodology is readily transferable to UK conditions for treating food processing and domestic wastewater streams, which present similar eutrophication challenges. UK agricultural practice could benefit from the demonstrated slow-release fertiliser properties, though field-scale validation under British soil and climate conditions would be needed before practical implementation.
Key measures
Ammonium adsorption capacity (mg NH₄⁺/g biochar), removal efficiency (%), adsorption kinetics (pseudo-second-order model R² = 0.97), isotherm fitting (Temkin R² > 0.99), seed germination improvement (%), plant biomass increase (fold-change)
Outcomes reported
The study measured ammonium adsorption capacity and removal efficiency of chemically modified biochars under different pyrolysis conditions, and assessed plant growth responses (seed germination and biomass) in pot experiments using ammonium-enriched biochars.
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