Biochar Applications in Heavy Metal Adsorption
Summary
Biochar, a carbon‐rich residue produced by the thermal decomposition of biomass under limited oxygen (pyrolysis), has emerged as a versatile adsorbent for the remediation of heavy‐metal‐contaminated water and soil. Its high specific surface area, well‐developed pore structure and abundance of oxygen‐ and nitrogen‐containing functional groups confer a strong affinity for cationic metals such as lead, cadmium, copper and nickel. Key removal mechanisms include surface complexation, ion exchange, precipitation and electrostatic attraction. By tailoring feedstock selection and pyrolysis conditions, researchers have achieved significant enhancements in metal uptake capacity, selectivity and stability. Biochar application offers a sustainable route to transform agricultural and industrial wastes into value‐added materials, with benefits for circular economy, reduced heavy‐metal mobility in soils, and improved water quality in agricultural runoff and industrial effluents.
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Biochar Applications in Heavy Metal Adsorption publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biochar applications in heavy metal adsorption across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biochar: A carbon‐rich solid produced by pyrolysis of biomass under oxygen‐limited conditions.
Adsorption: The adhesion of ions or molecules from a liquid onto the surface of a solid.
Cation exchange capacity: A measure of a material’s ability to exchange positively charged ions with the surrounding solution.
Langmuir isotherm: A model describing monolayer adsorption onto a uniform surface with finite binding sites.
Pseudo‐second‐order kinetics: A rate model assuming that chemisorption is the rate‐limiting step in the adsorption process.
References
- Batch and Column Scale Removal of Cadmium from Water Using Raw and Acid Activated Wheat Straw Biochar. Water (2019).
- Lead and cadmium removal from wastewater using eco-friendly biochar adsorbent derived from rice husk, wheat straw, and corncob. Cleaner Engineering and Technology (2020).
- The effect of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock on date palm waste derived biochar to remove single and multi-metals in aqueous solutions. Sustainable Environment Research (2021).
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