Sorption of four hydrophobic organic contaminants by biochars derived from maize straw, wood dust and swine manure at different pyrolytic temperatures

Sorption behavior of acetochlor (ACE), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), 17 alpha-Ethynyl estradiol (EE2) and phenanthrene (PHE) with biochars produced from three feedstocks (maize straw (MABs), pine wood dust (WDBs) and swine manure (SWBs)) at seven heat treatment temperatures (HTTs) was evaluated. The bulk polarity of these biochars declined with increasing HIT while the aromaticity and CO2-surface area (CO2-SA) rose. The surface OC contents of biochars were generally higher than bulk OC contents. The organic carbon (OC)-normalized CO2-SA (CO2-SA/OC) of biochars significantly correlated with the sorption coefficients (n and logK(oc)), suggesting that pore filling could dominate the sorption of tested sorbates. SWBs had higher logK(oc) values compared to MABs and WDBs, due to their higher ash contents. Additionally, the logK(oc) values for MABs was relatively greater than that for WDBs at low HTTs (<= 400 degrees C), probably resulting from the higher CO2-SA/OC, ash contents and aromaticity of MABs. Surface polarity and the aliphatic C may dominate the sorption of WDBs obtained at relatively low HTFs (<= 400 degrees C), while aromatic C affects the sorption of biochars at high HTFs. Results of this work aid to deepen our understanding of the sorption mechanisms, which is pivotal to wise utilization of biochars as sorbents for hazardous organic compounds. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.