Speaker
Description
Water pollution from heavy metals and suspended particulates is a major environmental concern, particularly in streams impacted by mining activities. This study evaluated the remediation potential of biomass-based adsorbents for treating heavy metal–contaminated water from the Kawere Stream within the Ghana Manganese Company concession at Nsuta Tarkwa. Biochar produced from coconut shells pyrolyzed at 500 °C was separated into coarse and granular fractions and applied in a laboratory-scale filtration system designed to mimic natural stream flow. Contaminated water samples (six replicates) were collected downstream in 30 L sterilized bottles, and field parameters including pH, temperature, turbidity, and total suspended solids (TSS) were measured onsite. The samples were homogenized in a 120 L tank, stirred, and passed through the biochar filtration system at controlled flow rates of 0.1 mL/s and 0.2 mL/s. Laboratory analysis showed that at 0.1 mL/s flow rate, biochar significantly reduced heavy metals concentration, turbidity, and TSS (p < 0.05). Manganese levels decreased from 3.80 to 1.80 ppm, iron (13.65 to 5.13 ppm), arsenic (5.60 to 3.60 ppm), and lead (8.10 to 4.25 ppm). Turbidity decreased from 25.60 to 18.00 NTU, while TSS dropped from 30.00 to 20.00 ppm, while pH improved from 6.70 to 7.00, indicating a shift toward neutrality. These results highlight the effectiveness of biochar as a sustainable, low-cost, and eco-friendly option for remediating contaminated freshwater systems. The findings support pilot testing and policy integration of biomass-based technologies to mitigate heavy metal pollution in mining-impacted streams.