Effects on the complexation of heavy metals onto biochar-derived WEOM extracted from low-temperature pyrolysis

Biochar-derived water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) was obtained under low-temperature pyrolysis (300 °C) using corncob as raw material. WEOM may affect the mobility and bioavailability of soil heavy metals (HMs) through complexation when biochar was used for soil HM remediation. Herein, the characteristics of complexation between HMs (Cr(III) and Cu(II)) and biochar-derived WEOM were investigated by using spectroscopic techniques in conjunction with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D–COS). Six components were identified by PARAFAC modeling, in which protein-, fulvic- and humic-like components accounted for 48.86%, 25.63% and 25.51%, respectively. A nonlinear model was employed to determine the conditional stability constant (KM) and total ligand concentration (CL) of WEOM-HM complexes. The log KM values were in the range of 4.02–5.04 for WEOM-Cr(III) and 4.04–6.58 for WEOM-Cu(II). The 2D–COS in conjunction with log-transformed synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS) suggested that WEOM components were preferentially complexed with HMs in the following order: 433/270, 433/335, 496/270, 496/335, 370/335, 433/402, 496/402, 335/290, 402/290 for Cr(III), and 290/280, 390/280, 433/280, 496/280, 433/335, 496/335, 390/335, 433/420, 496/402, 335/290, 316/290 for Cu(II). The results of 2D–FTIR–COS suggested a preferential bonding of Cr(III) to the C–N group of alkyl, and Cu(II) to the CO group of alcohols, ethers and esters. Meanwhile, the CO group of ethers and the CN group of alkyl indicated preferential susceptibilities for the addition of Cr(III) and Cu(II) at different concentrations. In addition, protein-like components had remarkably higher total ligand concentration (CL) than fulvic- or humic-like components. [Display omitted] •Biochar-derived WEOM from low-temperature pyrolysis has more fluorescence components.•Protein-like materials are dominant in the total ligand concentration.•Preferential bonding of Cr(III) and Cu(II) to protein-like materials.•The log-transformed 2D–SFS–COS revealed more information on the binding properties.•Binding affinity of WEOM with Cr(III) and Cu(II) may affect their mobility in soil.