Adsorption Capacities of Biochar-Based Product for Removing Pollutants from Contaminated Wastewater in Wine Cellar

Abstract

Human activities have produced numerous sites with extensive contamination close to residential areas. One of the most important primary economic sectors in Italy is wine production. Wine production and winery activities determines wastewater and solid waste production. Several physicochemical and biological remediation methods exist and are implemented in wine cellar chains. Nevertheless, remediation of cation and anion ions is possible like an implementation of circular economic cycle inside factory. This is one of the most important goals in 21st century. Biologically derived charcoal, biochar, produced by pyrolysis of waste biomasses under low oxygen conditions, can be applied for the decontamination of wastewater. Moreover other possible use consider recycling organic waste, energy production by using biomass macromolecules pyrolysis, gasification of pyrolysis biochar, steam conversion of gaseous products. The main objectives of the present study were to determine the possible use of different form of cyclone biochar from vegetable waste residues to achieve a stabilization of anion and cation inorganic contaminants by adsorption processes. Adsorption of anion and cation by biochar from dilute solutions showed different fate and behaviour constitutively with pH and oxidative state of the considered pollutant. The procedure is passive and does not require extensive labor as compared to other remediation methods. The decontamination using pure biochar, white biochar and cyclone biochar is suitable. Moreover, biochar has to be considered as carbon sink; therefore it favours mitigation of the anthropic impact on environment by an equilibrium statement inside each thermodynamic transformation procedure. The final objective will be to design an industrial-scale plant for the application of the process studied in the management of wine cellar wastewater.