Activated Carbon, Biochar and Charcoal: Linkages and Synergies across Pyrogenic Carbon’s ABCs

Abstract

Biochar and activated carbon, both carbonaceous pyrogenic materials, are important products for environmental technology and intensively studied for a multitude of purposes. A strict distinction between these materials is not always possible, and also a generally accepted terminology is lacking. However, research on both materials is increasingly overlapping: sorption and remediation are the domain of activated carbon, which nowadays is also addressed by studies on biochar. Thus, awareness of both fields of research and knowledge about the distinction of biochar and activated carbon is necessary for designing novel research on pyrogenic carbonaceous materials. Here, we describe the dividing ranges and common grounds of biochar, activated carbon and other pyrogenic carbonaceous materials such as charcoal based on their history, definition and production technologies. This review also summarizes thermochemical conversions and non-thermal pre-and post-treatments that are used to produce biochar and activated carbon. Our overview shows that biochar research should take advantage of the numerous techniques of activation and modification to tailor biochars for their intended applications.

Removal of phenol and chlorine from wastewater using steam activated biomass soot and tire carbon black

“…The potassium that is present as water-soluble alkali (i.e. KOH, KCl, K 2 CO 3 ) contributed to the higher reactivity of ash rich beechwood and wheat straw soot in CO 2 gasification and to the formation of larger surface area of biocarbons [61,62]. The potassium content in non-treated beechwood and wheat straw soot (1.1 wt.…”

Production of activated carbon from mango seed coat using chemical activation

“…Finally, mango seed coat activated carbon was obtained by chemical activation method usingvarying process conditions. Different activating agents (Hagemann et al, 2018) ZnCl , NaOH, all at 1N were employed. Impregnation volume 2 percentages used were 25% (25 ml of activating agent and 75 ml of water per 100 ml aqueous solution), 50%, 75%, 100%.…”

Use of biochar as feed supplements for animal farming

“…The benefits of biochar as a soil additive for the remediation of contaminated sites are well documented. It has been used for removal of pollutants such as heavy metals/metalloids and pesticides (Hagemann et al, 2019), and used in the remediation of contaminated soils, such as mine tailings (Fellet, Marchiol, Delle Vedove, & Peressotti, 2011). Biochar can improve soil's water holding capacity by controlling runoff water (Beck, Johnson, & Spolek, 2011) and it improves soil structure and soil properties by altering the soil biota, subsequently improving nutrient mobility and provision (Lehmann & Joseph, 2015).…”

“…In the last century, scientists achieved promising results treating acute poisoning with ingestion of activated charcoal, which prompted clinical trials. Due to its porous structure, activated charcoal can selectively remove the hydrogen or hydrogen-rich fractions from carbonaceous raw materials (Hagemann et al, 2019). The process of activation can be physical and/or chemical as described above.…”