Pyrolysis of waste materials: Characterization and prediction of sorption potential across a wide range of mineral contents and pyrolysis temperatures

Author(s)
Mélanie Kah, Huichao Sun, Gabriel Sigmund, Thorsten Hüffer, Thilo Hofmann
Abstract

Sewage sludge (50% mineral), manure (29%) and wood (<1%) were pyrolyzed at 200, 350 and 500 °C with the aim to study the characteristics and sorption potential of materials undergoing pyrolysis across a wide range of mineral contents. A commercial plant-derived biochar (41% mineral) was also considered. The materials were extensively characterized and tested for their sorption towards the model sorbates benzene, naphthalene and pyrene. Plant-derived materials, regardless of their mineral content, developed micropores causing size exclusion of pyrene. Changes in properties and sorption behavior upon pyrolysis were generally consistent for the manure and wood series. A single regression equation developed on our data (including the sorbate hydrophobicity and sorbent polarity) provided excellent prediction of previously reported changes in sorption upon pyrolysis across a wide range of mineral content (up to 500 °C). The sewage sludge series, however, followed a particular behavior, possibly due to very high mineral content (up to 67%).

Organisation(s)
External organisation(s)
University of Vienna
Journal
Bioresource Technology
Volume
214
Pages
225-233
No. of pages
9
ISSN
0960-8524
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.04.091
Publication date
08-2016
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
104023 Environmental chemistry, 104002 Analytical chemistry, 105904 Environmental research
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Bioengineering, Waste Management and Disposal, Environmental Engineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/7966c676-13b4-4859-9442-e30d434f573c