[Adsorption and Influential Factors of Diuron on the Loess Soil by Adding Different Biochar Prepared at Varying...

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effect of biochar, produced from maize and pine needles residue at different temperatures, on the adsorption of diuron onto loess soil. Meanwhile, the effect of the systemic temperature, pH values and the initial concentration of diuron were also investigated for the adsorption of diuron onto losses soil. And Kinetic parameters, such as rate constants, equilibrium adsorption capacities and related correlation coefficients were also calculated and discussed. The results showed that the adsorption of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar could be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and followed the intraparticle diffusion model, but diffusion was not only the rate-controlling step. The adsorption process was divided into fast (0-8 h) and slow (8-12 h) adsorption stages, and equilibrium was reached at around 12 h. The adsorption thermodynamics of diuron onto loess soil was nonlinear by nature, and well fitted with the Freundlich isothermal model. Thermodynamic parameter analysis of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar showed that Gibbs free energy (ΔG^θ) was less than zero, while Enthalpy (ΔS^θ) and Entropy (ΔH^θ) were greater than zero, indicating a spontaneous endothermic adsorption, which increased the degree of disorder during the process. And Thermodynamic parameter analysis of diuron onto loess soil without adding biochar showed that Gibbs free energy (ΔG^θ) and Entropy (ΔH^θ) were less than zero, while Enthalpy (ΔS^θ) was greater than zero. The average adsorption free energy E was in range of 1.29-5.00 kJ·mol^-1 when the temperatures increased from 25 to 45℃, indicated that adsorption of diuron onto loess was a physical adsorption. The results also suggested that the influencing factors of diuron had significant effects on the adsorptive behaviors of diuron on loess soil. With increasing pyrolysis temperature of biochar, the equilibrium concentration of diuron in water decreased, while the amount of adsorption on loess soil increased. When the initial concentration of diuron increased from 0.5 mg·L^-1 to 6 mg·L^-1, the adsorption capacity of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar showed a rapidly increasing trend. When the initial concentration increased. the adsorption capacity showed a slow increasing trend and gradually tended to be stable. In the pH range of 3 to 10, the adsorption capacity of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar changed a little.