Seok-Young Oh
University of Ulsan, South Korea
Title: Sorption of nitro explosives to polymer/biomass-derived biochar: Affecting factors and toxicity
Biography
Biography: Seok-Young Oh
Abstract
Factors affecting the sorptive removal of nitro explosives [2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX)] to polymer/biomass-derived biochar were investigated through batch experiments. Compared to that of rice straw (RS)-derived biochar, the sorption of TNT and RDX to polymer/RS-derived biochar was greatly enhanced by more than 2.5 and 4 times, respectively. The type and amount of polymer did not significantly affect the sorption of nitro explosives to polymer/RS-derived biochar. Due to increasing aromaticity of biochar and decreasing carbon residues from the polymer, the effect of the pyrolysis temperature at elevated temperatures was not marked. Surface treatment with acid or an oxidant did not significantly change the sorption capacity, suggesting that polymer residues may be strongly responsible for the enhancement. Possible polymer residues were identified via GC-MS analysis. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and Microtox bioassay analyses indicated that polymer/RS-derived biochar did not show possible harmful effects. Our results suggest that polymer/RS-derived biochar can be effectively used as a sorbent to remove nitro explosives both in the natural environment and engineered systems.