The Role of HCl-Catalyzed Sequential Carbonization in Producing Highly Carbonaceous Porous Biochar with Minimized Heavy Metal Content from Swine Manure

This study investigated the production of high-performance biochar from swine manure using a sequential carbonization process combining hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and pyrolysis. Biochar produced through HCl-assisted sequential carbonization exhibited superior properties, including the highest fixed carbon (70.0%), higher heating value (28.48 MJ/kg, ~18.8% increase over HTC-Py), and BET surface area (279.66 m2/g, ~17 times higher than other biochars). These improvements were attributed to the catalytic role of HCl in promoting dehydration, hydrolysis, and decarboxylation, leading to a more condensed and stabilized carbon structure. Furthermore, HCl significantly enhanced heavy metal removal, reducing Zn to 343.17 mg/kg (compared to HTC-Py 1324.15 mg/kg) and lowering Cd, As, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Cr by 70–80%, demonstrating effective demineralization. This approach presents a practical strategy for producing high-quality biochar with improved carbonization, energy properties, and pollutant removal, offering potential applications in environmental and agricultural fields.