Preparation of nitrogen-doped iron impregnated activated carbon composites from harmful algal bloom biomass

The study confirms that iron impregnated carbon can be generated through carbonization and activation of living algae biomass (HAB samples) that was fed iron salts, integrating metal remediation and HAB disposal into a practical process for generation Fe-C composites. Carbon products are also rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, indicating that HAB biomass can be a useful precursor for phosphorus- or nitrogen-doped carbons. Fe/C materials produced using FeCl3 or FAC have bulk iron content of 18.7% and 13.35 %, respectively. In Alga-FeCl3, most iron is present as iron oxides, while most iron species in Algal-FAC are zero-valent iron. Overall, this work describes a facile waste-to-product method for making metal-impregnated carbon materials from HAB biomass.