Nonnegligible role of biomass types and its compositions on the formation of persistent free radicals in biochar: Insight into the influences on Fenton-like process

Abstract Biochar, a green material that possesses high catalytic potential due to its persistent free radicals (PFRs), has attracted increasing attention in the removal of refractory pollutants from water. The influences of biomass types (bamboo, corn stalk, and pig manure) and its compositions (metals and phenolic compounds) on the formation of PFRs in biochar were investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). It was found that the amounts of PFRs in biochar would decrease sharply with the decrease of the initial metals and phenolic compounds existed in biomass, and the effect of metals contents on PFRs formation was much greater than that of phenolic compounds contents. This finding was supported by the results obtained from elemental analysis and molar H/C analysis of three types of biochar, which suggested that pig-manure biochar (PM500) had the highest concentrations of PFRs of 14.13 × 10 18  spins·g −1 due to the high content of metals and phenolic compounds in pig manure. The EPR trapping experiment and Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements in biochar/H 2 O 2 systems showed that OH was the dominant reactive radical and electrons transfer pathways might be responsible for the activation of H 2 O 2 by biochar. Possible degradation pathways of the tetracycline in biochar/H 2 O 2 systems were also proposed. Besides, high degradation efficiency and good stability were observed in real wastewater application of the PM500/H 2 O 2 system. These findings would provide a clearer insight into the formation mechanisms of PFRs in biochar, and also present a better strategy for biochar preparation and application in Fenton-like system.