Browsing by Author "Lu, Jiaxin"

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    Phosphate removal from aqueous solution using iron oxides: adsorption, desorption and regeneration characteristics
    (Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2018) Ajmal, Zeeshan; Muhmood, Atif; Usman, Muhammad; Kizito, Simon; Lu, Jiaxin; Dong, Renjie; Wu, Shubiao
    Dynamics of phosphate (PO4 3-) adsorption, desorption and regeneration characteristics of three lab-synthesized iron oxides, ferrihydrite (F), goethite (G), and magnetite (M) were evaluated in this study. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of several adsorption parameters including adsorbent dosage, reaction time, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The results showed that PO4 3- adsorption increased with reaction time and temperature while it decreased with an increase in solution pH. Adsorption isotherm data exhibited good agreement with the Freundlich and Langmuir model with maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 66.6 mg·g-1 (F), 57.8 mg·g-1 (M), and 50.5 mg·g-1 (G). h u u Δ < ΔH > ΔS > demonstrating that PO4 3- adsorption onto tested minerals is endothermic, spontaneous, and disordered. The PO4 3- removal mostly occurred via electrostatic attraction between the sorbate and sorbent surfaces. Moreover, the PO4 3- sorption was reversible and could be desorbed at varying rates in both neutral and alkaline environments. The good desorption capacity has practical benefits for potential regeneration and re-use of the saturated particles in wastewater treatment systems.
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    Role of Nutrient-Enriched Biochar as a Soil Amendment during Maize Growth: Exploring Practical Alternatives to Recycle Agricultural Residuals and to Reduce Chemical Fertilizer Demand
    (Sustainability, 2019) Kizito, Simon; Luo, Hongzhen; Lu, Jiaxin; Bah, Hamidou; Dong, Renjie; Wu, Shubiao
    Recycling and value-added utilization of agricultural residues through combining technologies such as anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis could double the recoverable energy, close the nutrient recycle loop, and ensure cleaner agricultural production. This study assessed the beneficial application of biochar to soil to recycle digestate nutrients, improve soil quality, and reduce conventional chemical fertilizer. The addition of digestate-enriched biochar improved soil quality as it provided higher soil organic matter (232%–514%) and macronutrients (110%–230%) as opposed to the unenriched biochar and control treatments. Maize grown in soil amended with digestate-enriched biochar showed a significantly higher biomass yield compared to the control and non-enriched biochar treatments but was slightly lower than yields from chemical fertilizer treatments. The slightly lower yield (20%–25%) achieved from digestate-enriched biochar was attributed to slower mineralization and release of the adsorbed nutrients in the short term. However, digestate-enriched biochar could in the long term become more beneficial in sustaining soil fertility through maintaining high soil organic matter and the gradual release of micronutrients compared to conventional chemical fertilizer. Positive e ects on soil micronutrients, macronutrients, organic matter, and biomass yield indicates that enriched biochar could partly replace chemical fertilizers and promote organic farming in a circular economy concept.