The potential role of biochar in the removal of organic and microbial contaminants from potable and reuse water: A review

Indicator and Pathogen Removal by Low Impact Development Best Management Practices

“…Depending on the feedstock, pyrolysis method, duration and temperature, the physicochemical properties of biochar greatly vary [62]. Biochar removes microbial contaminants via multiple mechanisms, including pore-diffusion and attachment due to hydrophobic and electrostatic forces [60,63,64]. Physical weathering (wet-dry or freeze-thaw cycles) of biochar biofilters in the field is likely to enhance their microbial removal capacity for E. coli, as shown in in a recent study [65].…”

“…Biochar has been used for centuries to boost soil fertility [58,59], but only recently has been considered for stormwater treatment applications [60]. Like activated carbon, biochar is a pyrogenic carbonaceous material, however, no activation process is applied during the char making process where the pyrolysis occurs in oxygen-limited conditions [61].…”

Adsorption of bovine serum albumin and urease by biochar

“…The properties of biochar including alkalinity, specific surface area, pore structure, elemental composition and functional groups are diversified due to different feedstocks and pyrolysis conditions, especially pyrolysis temperature [2]. Biochar has been described as a soil amendment which can be stored in soil for hundreds or even thousands of years to achieve carbon sequestration [3], and can also improve microbial activity and soil fertility, decrease soil nutrient leaching, reduce bioavailability and phytotoxicity of heavy metals and organic pollutants in soils [4].…”

“…Urea, as a widely used nitrogen (N) fertilizer added into soil, can be easily degraded to ammonia via urease catalysis [7]. Application of biochar can adsorb NH 4 + , reduce NH 3 volatilization and N 2 O emission, as well as increase plant uptake of N [8]. Lu et al reported that the addition of eucalyptusderived and poultry litter-derived biochar to a cropland area caused different effects on b-glucosidase, β-glucosaminidase, urease and phosphomonoesterase activities [9].…”

Morphology of Modified Biochar and Its Potential for Phenol Removal from Aqueous Solutions

“…They are reported as human carcinogens, exhibit poor biodegradability and may also cause long-term ecological damage (Bayramoglu et al, 2009;Di Bene et al, 2013;Inyang and Dickenson, 2015). The removal of phenolic compounds with the use of biochar was reported so far in a limited number of studies.…”