Comparison of water-soluble organic matter (WSOM)-containing and WSOM-free biochars for simultaneous sorption of lead and cadmium

The effects of individual biochar constituents and natural environmental media on the immobilization behaviors and chemical activities of toxic heavy metals are still poorly understood. In this work, the physicochemical properties of raw corn straw (CS) and CS-derived biochar materials as well as their sorption abilities and retention mechanisms for lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were evaluated by combining batch experiments and spectral approaches. According to the spectral analysis results and single variable principle, the setting of biochars after soaking in solution as the control group was suggested when evaluating their retention mechanisms for Pb and Cd. The rising of ionic strength did not apparently affect the immobilization of Pb by biochar prepared at 500 °C (i.e., CB500) and Pb/Cd by water-soluble organic matter (WSOM)-free CB500 (i.e., DCB500), while slightly inhibited the sorption of Cd by CB500. Pb and Cd exhibited a mutual inhibition effect on their sorption trends with a higher sorption preference of Pb. The dominant fixation mechanism of Pb by CB500 and DCB500 was identified to be mineral precipitation. In contrast, the main sorption mechanism of Cd changed from mineral precipitation in the single-metal system to surface complexation in the binary-metal system. The sorption ratios of Pb and Cd on CB500 were comparable to those on DCB500 with the coexistence of mixed natural organic matters (NOM) and ferrihydrite. The current experimental findings suggested that DCB500 was a suitable remediation agent for regulating the migration behaviors of toxic Pb and Cd in acidic and NOM-rich soil and water systems.