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Sewage sludge biochars as effective PFAS-sorbents.

Katinka M Krahn1, Gerard Cornelissen2, Gabriela Castro3

  • 1Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), 0484 Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), 1430 Ås, Norway; Lindum AS, 3036 Drammen, Norway.

Journal of Hazardous Materials
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Sewage sludge biochars effectively remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water. Sorption efficiency decreases in soil or with mixed PFAS due to competition.

Keywords:
BiocharPFASRemediationSewage sludgeSorption

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Water Treatment
  • Waste Management

Background:

  • Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants.
  • Conventional water and soil remediation methods for PFAS can be costly and unsustainable.
  • Utilizing waste materials like sewage sludge for sorbent production offers a sustainable alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of sewage sludge biochars (SSBCs) as sorbents for removing perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) from water.
  • To compare the sorption performance of SSBCs with wood chip biochar (WCBC).
  • To investigate the influence of soil and mixed PFCA conditions on sorption behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Batch sorption experiments were performed using two SSBCs and one WCBC, pyrolyzed at 700°C.
  • Individual PFCAs and a PFCA mixture were tested with pure biochars and biochar-soil mixtures (1.3% TOC).
  • Sorption was quantified using log-linear biochar-water distribution coefficients (log Kd).

Main Results:

  • SSBCs demonstrated strong PFCA sorption, with log Kd values comparable to commercial activated carbons.
  • High pore volumes in SSBCs were identified as key to effective PFCA accommodation.
  • Sorption was significantly reduced by the presence of soil, mixed PFCAs, or both, indicating competitive interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Sewage sludge biochar is a promising, sustainable sorbent for PFCA removal from water.
  • Understanding competitive sorption is crucial for optimizing PFAS remediation strategies in complex environmental matrices.
  • These findings support the development of value chains for biochar-based solutions in soil remediation and water filtration.