Enhanced carbon dioxide mineralization of industrial alkaline wastes through date palm waste-derived activated biochar
Document Type
Article
Source of Publication
Journal of Environmental Management
Publication Date
11-1-2025
Abstract
This study presents a sustainable approach for synthesizing activated biochar (BC) from date palm waste and enhancing its carbon dioxide (CO2) capture capacity through integration with industrial alkaline waste, particularly ladle furnace slag (AW-LF). BC was produced via pyrolysis at 450 °C, 600 °C, and 750 °C and chemically activated using potassium carbonate (K2CO3) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The materials were tested under CO2 gas flow (10 % CO2, 0.6 L/min, 1–2 bar, 22–25 °C) using a fluidized bed reactor. The highest CO2 capture capacity reached 0.94 mmol/g with H2O2-modified BC at a 10 % BC-to-AW-LF ratio. The cumulative CO2 uptake reached a maximum of 13.4 mol/L with K2CO3-activated BC, demonstrating approximately a 380 % increase compared to the performance of unmodified AW-LF slag. Kinetic analysis confirmed the modified Avrami model as the best fit (R2 > 0.99), with the highest rate constant (Kma = 0.0118) observed for H2O2-treated samples. The findings were validated through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), confirming stable CaCO3 formation and enhanced porosity. Preliminary TGA results suggest up to 8 % weight loss due to CO2 binding, confirming carbonation. The developed adsorbent is cost-effective, scalable, and derived from abundant agricultural and industrial wastes, supporting the circular economy and low-carbon technologies. A preliminary economic assessment estimated the cost of producing 100 g of hydrogen peroxide-modified BC at 6.6 AED (∼1.80 USD), highlighting its feasibility for large-scale applications.
DOI Link
ISSN
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
394
Disciplines
Engineering
Keywords
Activated biochar, Carbon dioxide capture, Carbonation kinetics, Chemical activation, Date palm waste, Industrial alkaline waste
Scopus ID
Recommended Citation
El Gamal, Maisa; Mohammad, Ameera F.; Abu-Jdayil, Basim; Hameedi, Suhaib; and Ben Salem, Imen, "Enhanced carbon dioxide mineralization of industrial alkaline wastes through date palm waste-derived activated biochar" (2025). All Works. 7498.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/7498
Indexed in Scopus
yes
Open Access
no