Effects of pyrolysis temperature on proton and cadmium binding properties onto biochar-derived dissolved organic matter: Roles of fluorophore and chromophore

Understanding the environmental behavior of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (BDOM) is crucial for promoting the extensive utilization of biochar and meeting the carbon neutrality targets. However, limited studies focused on the binding mechanism of protons and Cd with DOM released from biochar produced at different pyrolysis temperatures. By combining excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis, we found that the humic-like fluorophores in BDOM had higher aromaticity, molecular weight, and contents of carboxylic and phenolic groups relative to the protein-like fluorophores. Conversely, the protein-like fluorophores exhibited a stronger binding affinity for Cd than humic-like fluorophores. With the pyrolysis temperature increased from 300 C to 500 C, the quenching effects of Cd on the protein-like components were enhanced significantly. Their fluorescence intensities could be quenched up to 51.64%. The results of ultra-violet-visible absorbance spectroscopy and differential absorbance spectroscopy showed that the carboxylic-like and phenolic-like chromophores were involved in the protons and Cd binding process of BDOM. The binding ability of phenolic-like chromophores with Cd was reduced as a function of increasing pyrolysis temperature. These findings implied that these carboxylic and phenolic groups were mainly contained in the non-fluorescent components. Besides, protons and Cd could also induce inter-chromophore interactions in BDOM, and the interaction was proportional to the pyrolysis temperature. These results clearly demonstrated the pyrolysis temperature-dependent changes in the protons and Cd binding properties of BDOM. More importantly, the possible risk of Cd mobility caused by the protein-like components in BDOM cannot be ignored when the biochar was applied in contaminated soils. This research extends our knowledge of the application potentiality of biochar in heavy metal polluted soil.

Automated summary

This study investigated the environmental behavior of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (BDOM). The results showed that the humic-like fluorophores in BDOM had higher binding affinity for Cd compared to the protein-like fluorophores. The quenching effects of Cd on the protein-like components increased significantly with the pyrolysis temperature. The carboxylic-like and phenolic-like chromophores in BDOM were involved in the binding process of protons and Cd. These findings contribute to our understanding of the application potential of biochar in heavy metal polluted soil.