Migration and transformation of heavy metals in Chinese medicine residues during the process of traditional pyrolysis and solar pyrolysis

Chinese medicine residues (CMRs) have always been considered difficult to realize resource treatment because of the possible residual heavy metals (HMs). In this study, CMRs containing HMs (Cu, Cd and Pb) were pyrolized in the tube furnace and the solar pyrolysis equipment. The ratio of HMs entering the pyrolysis products (bio-gas, bio-oil and bio-char) and the stability of HMs in biochar were analyzed. A comparative analysis showed that the less volatile HMs were basically concentrated in the biochar after the pyrolysis treatment, indicating that pyrolysis could enrich the HMs in the biochar. The leaching experiments showed that the leaching rates of Cu, Cd and Pb from biochar were 0–0.41%, 0–3.03% and 0.09–0.86% respectively, while the leaching rates of CMR were as high as 18.85, 10.98 and 2.52%, indicating that the pyrolysis process could improve the fixation effect of HMs in biomass to a greater extent and reduce the leaching toxicity of HMs. Compared with the traditional pyrolysis method, the solar pyrolysis had the same effect on the enrichment and stabilization of heavy metals in CMRs, which means that it is possible to realize the resource treatment of CMR through a renewable green energy (solar energy). [Display omitted] •Pyrolysis can immobilize and stabilize the heavy metals in CMRs.•82–96% of heavy metals are enriched in biochar during solar pyrolysis.•Some Cd evaporates to bio-oil and bio-gas under high temperature conditions.•It is feasible to realize the resource treatment of CMR by Solar pyrolysis.