Conversion of Mango Wood Sawdust into Biochar: Preparation & Structural Characterization

Abstract

Effective and affordable methods for removing heavy metals (HMs) are urgently required, as these contaminants pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. Adsorption has emerged as a highly promising therapeutic technique in recent years due to the difficulty of biodegrading and transforming heavy metals. Due to its wide range of potential applications, biochar (BC), a sustainable and inexpensive adsorbent substance made from agricultural waste, has recently garnered a lot of research interest. Mango wood sawdust was converted into biochar utilizing the pyrolysis process in an oxygen-limited environment. The pyrolysis process was carried out until the temperature reached 600 degrees Celsius while the heating rate was kept at 5 degrees Celsius per minute. While XRD analysis shows a broad diffraction peak around 26 degrees (2 theta), indicating the presence of amorphous carbon with partially ordered graphite structures with 3.34865 A0 d-spacing. SEM analysis clearly shows highly porous sites that increase surface area, attachment sites, and water retention capacity as well as increase adsorption of heavy metals and increase cation exchange capacity. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) method showed peak position between 600 and 800 nm indicates that most biochar is of a comparable size, carefully regulated synthesis conditions with the average particle size about 700 nm. This work helps to sustainable waste management and environmental protection by highlighting the efficient use of agricultural waste to create value-added carbon products. In order to determine its true effectiveness, future research will employ this biochar in real-world water treatment procedures across a range of industries. Future research will also examine the prepared biochar's recyclable and reusable qualities.