Influences of Temperature and Metal on Subcritical Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Hyperaccumulator: Implications for the Recycling of Hazardous Hyperaccumulators.

Waste Sedum plumbizincicola, a zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulator during phytoremediation, was recycled via a subcritical hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reaction into multiple streams of products, including hydrochar, bio-oil, and carboxylic acids. Results show approximately 90% of Zn was released from the S. plumbizincicola biomass during HTL at an optimized temperature of 220 °C, and the release risk was mitigated via HTL reaction for hydrochar production. The low-Zn hydrochar (∼200 mg/kg compared to original plant of 1558 mg/kg) was further upgraded into porous carbon (PC) with high porosity (930 m/g) and excellent capability of carbon dioxide (CO) capture (3 mmol/g). The porosity, micropore structure, and graphitization degree of PCs were manipulated by the thermal recalcitrance of hydrochar. More importantly, results showed that the released Zn could effectively promote the production of acetic acid via the oxidation of furfural (FF) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-furfural (HMF). Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) with negative electrospray ionization analysis confirmed the deoxygenation and depolymerization reactions and the production of long chain fatty acids during HTL reaction of S. plumbizincicola. This work provides a new path for the recycling of waste hyperaccumulator biomass into value-added products.