Adsorption Performance of Nutrient Leached Biochar for Organic and Inorganic Contaminants

The sixth goal of sustainable development goals emphasizes on ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. 7.6 billion people are dependent upon fresh water resources which account for 2.5% of the total available water on earth. Out of 2.5%, around 2.2% is locked in ice and glaciers, leaving behind a thin proportion of available water for human use. A major proportion of the accessible water resources are affected by pollution in one form or the other. As per the United Nations website, "Worldwide, one in three people do not have access to safe drinking water, two out of five people do not have a basic hand-washing facility with soap and water, and more than 673 million people still practice open defecation". Industrial wastes, sewage from the household, and radioactivity are some of the other main reasons responsible for growing contamination in freshwater resources. As a result of this, water bodies in many regions are contaminated and deemed unfit for human consumption. It is estimated that more than 80 % of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or the sea without the removal of pollutants. One of the notable sources of water pollution are industries, particularly those which utilize a large amount of water like dyeing, textile, metal processing (electroplating), paper & pulp industries, and tanneries are some of the major contributors towards the pollution of water resources. A large amount of organic and inorganic pollutants generated from these industries are dumped in the surrounding water bodies. It is estimated that in India, one-third of the water pollution is contributed by industrial discharge, solid waste and hazardous waste. The pollutants arising from industrial discharge are usually left untreated which poses a serious threat to our environment. These pollutants broadly classified under as organic and inorganic pollutants. The management of these pollutants is challenging and the textile and electroplating industries exist in our neighborhood.

Adsorption is a heterogeneous phase phenomenon where a molecule binds to the solid surface of the adsorbent by physical or chemical forces. The process operates by adding adsorbent to wastewater after optimizing the process variables, and contaminants are thereafter adsorbed on the surface of the adsorbent by various physical and chemical forces.