Study on Adsorption of Cd in Solution and Soil by Modified Biochar–Calcium Alginate Hydrogel

Contamination with cadmium (Cd) is a prominent issue in agricultural non-point source pollution in China. With the deposition and activation of numerous Cd metal elements in farmland, the problem of excessive pollution of agricultural produce can no longer be disregarded. Considering the issue of Cd pollution in farmland, this study proposes the utilization of cross-linked modified biochar (prepared from pine wood) and calcium alginate hydrogels to fabricate a composite material which is called MB-CA for short. The aim is to investigate the adsorption and passivation mechanism of soil Cd by this innovative composite. The MB-CA exhibits a higher heavy metal adsorption capacity compared to traditional biochar and hydrogel due to its increased oxygen-containing functional groups and heavy metal adsorption sites. In the Cd solution adsorption experiment, the highest Cd²⁺ removal rate reached 85.48%. In addition, it was found that the material also has an excellent pH improvement effect. Through the adsorption kinetics experiment and the soil culture experiments, it was determined that MB-CA adheres to the quasi-second-order kinetic model and is capable of adsorbing 35.94% of Cd²⁺ in soil. This study validates the efficacy of MB-CA in the adsorption and passivation of Cd in soil, offering a novel approach for managing Cd-contaminated cultivated land.