A comprehensive review of production and characterization of biochar for removal of organic pollutants from water and wastewater

Abstract

Biochar is produced by the pyrolysis of organic constituents at moderate to low temperatures and oxygen-deficient conditions. Various types of biomass wastes are used as the starting points for biochar production, which not only makes better use of the waste resources already available but also significantly lessens environmental harm. Biochar is extensively used as a soil amendment, biofuel, catalyst, energy storage, and carbon sequestration regulator because of its excellent efficacy, environmental friendliness, and affordable price. Biochar has lately received much interest in wastewater treatment due to its significantly expanded surface area, excellent pore volume, accessibility of functional charge, and environmental durability. It may also be recycled because of its exceptional therapeutic effectiveness and resource recovery capabilities. The ability of biochar to absorb major contaminants makes it a suitable treatment solution for wastewater. For the intent of developing biochar, the techniques of gasification, hydrothermal carbonization, and pyrolysis have been developed. Biochar was employed to absorb minerals, heavy metals (HMs), and organic pollutants to remove impurities from water and wastewater. The adsorption methods of organic contaminants, nutrients in wastewater and HMs were examined. Understanding the interactions among the biochar’s structures, adsorption traits, and preparation parameters is crucial. The generation, characterization, and biochar exploitation for the elimination of organic and HMs were the main topics of the current review.