2,4-D adsorption to biochars: Effect of preparation conditions on equilibrium adsorption capacity and comparison with commercial activated carbon literature data

Abstract Batch isotherm experiments were conducted with chars to study adsorption of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Chars generated from corncobs, bamboo and wood chips in a laboratory pyrolyzer at 400–700 °C were compared with traditional kiln charcoals collected from villages in S/SE Asia and with activated carbons (ACs). 2,4-D uptake by laboratory chars obtained from bamboo and wood chips after 14 h of pyrolysis at 700 °C, from wood chips after 96 h of pyrolysis at 600 °C, and one of the field-collected chars (basudha) was comparable to ACs. H:C and O:C ratios declined with pyrolysis temperature and duration while surface area increased to >500 m 2 /g. Increasing pyrolysis intensity by increasing temperature and/or duration of heating was found to positively influence adsorption capacity yield (mg 2,4-D /g feedstock ) over the range of conditions studied. Economic analysis showed that high temperature chars can be a cost-effective alternative to ACs for water treatment applications.