Vol. 23, No. 2 (2024), Bio24219 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Bio24219

Biochar-packed biofilter for the treatment of gases produced by accumulated sargassum waste

 

Authors

B. Escobar, J. M Baas-López, R. Tapia-Tussell, E. Olguín-Maciel

Abstract

A biofilter was built from the production of biochar obtained from Sargassum spp. (SKPH) as an environmentally friendly option for its application in problems related to the generation of gases such as H2S, CO2, and CH4 that emanate during the decomposition process of accumulated sargassum waste. The sargassum was treated with KOH to obtain an activated biochar, estimating a surface area of 1319 m2 g-1 with an average pore size of 1.447 nm. This surface area value allows its use as a biofilter to control H2S, CO2, and CH4 gases. The analysis of textural properties and structure of biochar were studied by XRD, FTIR, BET, and CHN-S techniques. The characterization results by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy showed a biochar with amorphous characteristics. In this study, the constructed biofilter was filled with SKPH biochar; this system was interconnected to the reactor containing Sargassum spp. (freshly collected from the beach) and to the portable gas meter. The results showed that sulfur, hydrogen, and nitrogen were significantly higher in the SKPH-LB sample. In general, biochar made it possible to demonstrate its efficient use to control H2S and CO2 produced by the disposal of sargassum waste, becoming a novel strategy to improve the elimination of toxic gases and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Keywords

biochar; biofilter; H2S; Sargassum spp., waste.

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