Influence of Agricultural Feedstock on the Physicochemical Properties and Performance of Biochar
Md. Shakibur Rahman
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Mohshin Maola
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
S. C. M. Akash
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Sukanta Mondal
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Md. Mahfujul Hasan
Department of Food Toxicology Research Section, Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dr. Qudrat-i-Khuda Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205. Bangladesh.
Md. Shaharul Islam *
Department of Chemistry, Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology (BAUET), Qadirabad Cantonment, Natore-6431, Bangladesh.
Jerin Alauddin
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Md Shajahan Ali
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Saraban Tohura Meghla
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Md lmran Nazir
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
Md. Helal Uddin *
Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University, Kushtia-7003, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Limited understanding exists of how pyrolysis conditions affect the physicochemical properties of biochar derived from specific agricultural feedstocks. This study investigates coconut shell–derived biochar produced via oxygen-limited pyrolysis at 600 °C with a heating rate of 5 °C min⁻¹. X-ray diffraction revealed a predominantly amorphous structure (crystallinity index: 30.3%) with broad peaks at 2θ ≈ 23.15° and 43.80°, indicating high structural disorder that is favorable for adsorption. Dynamic light scattering showed a unimodal particle size distribution centered at ~1550 nm, while zeta potential measurements indicated a mean surface charge of −17 mV, confirming moderate colloidal stability and affinity for cationic contaminants. BET and BJH analyses demonstrated a hierarchical pore structure, with the cumulative pore volume reaching ~77 cc g⁻¹ in the 40–51 nm range and a micropore volume of ~0.13 cc g⁻¹. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of –OH, C=O, and aromatic C=C functional groups, contributing to surface reactivity. Collectively, these structural, chemical, and electrokinetic properties position coconut shell biochar as a low-cost, high-performance material for environmental remediation and wastewater treatment, comparable in key characteristics to commercial activated carbon.
Keywords: Biochar, amorphous, crystallinity index, zeta potential, wastewater treatment