Banana Peduncle Biochar: Characteristics and Adsorption of Hexavalent Chromium from Aqueous Solution

Abstract

Aims: Biochar produced from different waste biomass has been documented as an adsorbent for heavy metal removal from contaminated water . In present study, Banana peduncle which considered as waste, but abundantly available and have high biomass was selected for production of biochar to investigate its adsorption capacity for hexavalent chromium. Place and Duration of Study: Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR - Institute of Miner als and Materials Technology (CSIR - IMMT), Bhubaneswar, India, between April 2014 and October 2014. Methodology: Banana peduncle pyrolysed at 300 ° C and 500 ° C temperature and characterized by proximate, total carbon, FE - SEM, FTIR and XPS analysis. The adsorp tion of Cr (VI) studied through the batch experiment at different pH, adsorbent dose, and initial concentration. Results: The banana pedun cle biochar yield was 66 and 40 % at 300 ° C and 500 ° C respectively.