Although research on biochar has received increasing attention for environmental and agricultural applications, the significance of nanobiochar for environmental pollutant remediation is poorly understood. In contrast to bulk biochar, nanobiochar has superior physicochemical properties such as high catalytic activity, unique nanostructure, large specific surface area and high mobility in the soil environment. These unique characteristics make nanobiochar an ideal candidate for pollution remediation. Thus far, the research on nanobiochar is still in its infancy and most of the previous studies have only been conducted for exploring its properties and environmental functions. The lack of in-depth summary of nanobiochar’s research direction makes it a challenge for scientists and researchers globally. Hence in this review, we established some key fabrication methods for nanobiochar with a focus on its performance for the removal of pollutants from the environment. We also provided up-to-date information on nanobiochar’s role in environmental remediation and insights into different mechanisms involved in the pollutant removal. Although, nanobiochar application is increasing, the associated drawbacks to the soil ecosystem have not received enough research attention. Therefore, further research is warranted to evaluate the potential environmental risks of nanobiochar before large scale application.
Graphical Abstract
Water contaminated with emerging pollutants has become a serious environmental issue globally. Biochar is a porous and carbon-rich material produced from biomass pyrolysis and has the potential to be used as an integrated adsorptive material. Many studies have shown that biochar is capable to adsorb emerging pollutants from aquatic systems and could be used to solve the water pollution problem. Here, we provided a dual perspective on removing emerging pollutants from aquatic systems using biochar and analyzed the emerging pollutant removal efficiency from the aspects of biochar types, pollutant types and coexistence with heavy metals, as well as the associated mechanisms. The potential risks and future research directions of biochar utilization are also presented. This review aims to assist researchers interested in using biochar for emerging pollutants remediation in aquatic systems and facilitate research on emerging pollutants removal, thereby reducing their environmental risk.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.