Coexistence of polyethylene microplastics and biochar increases ammonium sorption in an aqueous solution

Biochar is used to remove ammonium (NH4+) from wastewater, where microplastics are emerging pollutants. However, whether microplastics can adsorb NH4+ or how they will affect the sorption of NH4+ by biochars have not been studied. Here, batch sorption kinetics and isotherm experiments were conducted to elucidate the sorption of NH4+ on a manure biochar (MBC), a straw biochar (SBC), a wood sawdust biochar (WBC), a polyethylene microplastic (PE), and their combination. The results showed that PE had a smaller sorption capacity (Q(max) = 3.29 mg g(-1)) but a faster adsorption rate (k(s) = 0.08 g (mg min)(-1)) for NH4+ than biochars (Q(max) = 5.67 similar to 20.54 mg g(-1); k(s) = 0.02 similar to 0.04 g (mg min)(-1)). When PE and biochars coexisted in an aqueous solution, the NH4+ sorption capacity was increased by 17.0% in PE+SBC, 7.1% in PE+MBC, and 8.6% in PE+WBC, which likely due to the depmtonation of functional groups and the decreases in small molecular-size dissolved organic carbon. We conclude that microplastics can adsorb NH4+; moreover, they can enhance the NH4+ sorption capacity of biochars. Therefore, when biochar is used for NH4+ removal from wastewater, the interaction of biochar and microplastics needs to be considered.

Automated summary

Biochar is commonly used for NH4+ removal from wastewater, and in this study, the interaction between microplastics and biochars in the sorption of NH4+ was investigated. Results suggest that microplastics can adsorb NH4+ and enhance the NH4+ sorption capacity of biochars.