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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #288702
Title: Activated biochar removes 100% dibromochloropropane from field well water

Author
item Klasson, K Thomas
item Ledbetter, Craig
item Uchimiya, Sophie
item Lima, Isabel

Submitted to: Environmental Chemistry Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/30/2012
Publication Date: 9/1/2013
Citation: Klasson, K.T., Ledbetter, C.A., Uchimiya, M., Lima, I.M. 2013. Activated biochar removes 100% dibromochloropropane from field well water. Environmental Chemistry Letters. 11(3):271-275.

Interpretive Summary: Char material (called biochar) was produced from almond shells and used in the field to remove dibromochloropropane from a municipal water well. The biochar removed 100% of the contaminant for approximately three months and continued to remove it to below save levels for an additional three months. The performance was explained by a mathematical equation. This manuscript reports on the efficient use of local resources (almond shells) to address local environmental needs.

Technical Abstract: Activated biochar was produced from almond shells and used in the field to remove dibromochloropropane from a municipal water well. The activated biochar removed 100% of the contaminant for approximately three months and continued to remove it to below treatment standards for an additional three months. The breakthrough was modeled by a liquid film mass-transfer model that fits the experimental data very well. This manuscript reports on the efficient use of local resources (almond shells) to address local environmental needs.