AUTHOR=Wang Pingping , Stenrød Marianne , Wang Liang , Yuan Shankui , Mao Liangang , Zhu Lizhen , Zhang Lan , Zhang Yanning , Jiang Hongyun , Zheng Yongquan , Liu Xingang TITLE=Characterization of Montmorillonite–Biochar Composite and Its Application in the Removal of Atrazine in Aqueous Solution and Soil JOURNAL=Frontiers in Environmental Science VOLUME=10 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/environmental-science/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.888252 DOI=10.3389/fenvs.2022.888252 ISSN=2296-665X ABSTRACT=

Atrazine is a widely used triazine herbicide, which poses a serious threat to human health and aquatic ecosystem. A montmorillonite–biochar composite (MMT/BC) was prepared for atrazine remediation. Biochar samples were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). Structural and morphological analysis of raw biochar (BC) and MMT/BC showed that MMT particles have been successfully coated on the surface of biochar. Sorption experiments in aqueous solution indicated that the MMT/BC has higher removal capacity of atrazine compared to BC (about 3.2 times). The sorption of atrazine on the MMT/BC was primarily controlled by both physisorption and chemisorption mechanisms. The amendment of MMT/BC increased the sorption capacity of soils and delayed the degradation of atrazine. Findings from this work indicate that the MMT/BC composite can effectively improve the sorption capacity of atrazine in aquatic environment and farmland soil and reduce the environmental risk.