Emerging Pollutants Removal Using Biochar in Wastewater

Abstract

Biochar is a functional material prepared under controlled thermal decomposition of organic feedstocks from crops, forestry residues, sewage sludge, algal biomass, and poultry manure. Due to its intrinsic properties, biochar has been widely used as an adsorbent to remove organic pollutants, heavy metals, and nutrients from various types of wastewater to produce cost-effective and eco-friendly treatment. This study has reviewed around 50 articles and has focused on removing heavy metals, significant nutrients, and organic pollutants (fertilisers, antibiotics, PAHs, and PCBs). These pollutants in water significantly reduce crop yield, quality of the environment, and are dangerous to human health. The percentage removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution (88%–98%) using adsorption isotherms is found to be higher than industrial (55%–60%) and municipal wastewater (80%–85%). The effective removal of contaminants from wastewater samples on a field scale is enhanced by increasing the specific surface area and pore volume of biochar granules after post-treatment.