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Song Q, Kong F, Liu BF, Song X, Ren HY. Biochar-based composites for removing chlorinated organic pollutants: Applications, mechanisms, and perspectives. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 21:100420. [PMID: 38765891 PMCID: PMC11099330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Chlorinated organic pollutants constitute a significant category of persistent organic pollutants due to their widespread presence in the environment, which is primarily attributed to the expansion of agricultural and industrial activities. These pollutants are characterized by their persistence, potent toxicity, and capability for long-range dispersion, emphasizing the importance of their eradication to mitigate environmental pollution. While conventional methods for removing chlorinated organic pollutants encompass advanced oxidation, catalytic oxidation, and bioremediation, the utilization of biochar has emerged as a prominent green and efficacious method in recent years. Here we review biochar's role in remediating typical chlorinated organics, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), triclosan (TCS), trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and chlorobenzenes (CBs). We focus on the impact of biochar material properties on the adsorption mechanisms of chlorinated organics. This review highlights the use of biochar as a sustainable and eco-friendly method for removing chlorinated organic pollutants, especially when combined with biological or chemical strategies. Biochar facilitates electron transfer efficiency between microorganisms, promoting the growth of dechlorinating bacteria and mitigating the toxicity of chlorinated organics through adsorption. Furthermore, biochar can activate processes such as advanced oxidation or nano zero-valent iron, generating free radicals to decompose chlorinated organic compounds. We observe a broader application of biochar and bioprocesses for treating chlorinated organic pollutants in soil, reducing environmental impacts. Conversely, for water-based pollutants, integrating biochar with chemical methods proved more effective, leading to superior purification results. This review contributes to the theoretical and practical application of biochar for removing environmental chlorinated organic pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Song
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Fanying Kong
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Xueting Song
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Hong-Yu Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
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Li Y, Kumar Awasthi M, Sindhu R, Binod P, Zhang Z, Taherzadeh MJ. Biochar preparation and evaluation of its effect in composting mechanism: A review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 384:129329. [PMID: 37329992 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This article provides an overview of biochar application for organic waste co-composting and its biochemical transformation mechanism. As a composting amendment, biochar work in the adsorption of nutrients, the retention of oxygen and water, and the promotion of electron transfer. These functions serve the micro-organisms (physical support of niche) and determine changes in community structure beyond the succession of composing primary microorganisms. Biochar mediates resistance genes, mobile gene elements, and biochemical metabolic activities of organic matter degrading. The participation of biochar enriched the α-diversity of microbial communities at all stages of composting, and ultimately reflects the high γ-diversity. Finally, easy and convincing biochar preparation methods and characteristic need to be explored, in turn, the mechanism of biochar on composting microbes at the microscopic level can be studied in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yui Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Mukesh Kumar Awasthi
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China.
| | - Raveendran Sindhu
- Department of Food Technology, TKM Institute of Technology, Kollam 691 505, Kerala, India
| | - Parameswaran Binod
- Microbial Processes and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695019, India
| | - Zengqiang Zhang
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
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Wurzer C, Oesterle P, Jansson S, Mašek O. Hydrothermal recycling of carbon absorbents loaded with emerging wastewater contaminants. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 316:120532. [PMID: 36323358 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Adsorption using carbon materials is one of the most efficient techniques for removal of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals from wastewater. However, high costs are a major hurdle for their large-scale application in areas currently under economic constraints. While most research focuses on decreasing the adsorbent price by increasing its capacity, treatment costs for exhausted adsorbents and their respective end-of-life scenarios are often neglected. Here, we assessed a novel technique for recycling of exhausted activated biochars based on hydrothermal treatment at temperatures of 160-320 °C. While a treatment temperature of 280 °C was sufficient to fully degrade all 10 evaluated pharmaceuticals in solution, when adsorbed on activated biochars certain compounds were shielded and could not be fully decomposed even at the highest treatment temperature tested. However, the use of engineered biochar doped with Fe-species successfully increased the treatment efficiency, resulting in full degradation of all 10 parent compounds at 320 °C. The proposed recycling technique showed a high carbon retention in biochar with only minor losses, making the treatment a viable candidate for environmentally sound recycling of biochars. Recycled biochars displayed potentially beneficial structural changes ranging from an increased mesoporosity to additional oxygen bearing functional groups, providing synergies for subsequent applications as part of a sequential biochar system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wurzer
- UK Biochar Research Centre, School of GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FF Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Pierre Oesterle
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Stina Jansson
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ondřej Mašek
- UK Biochar Research Centre, School of GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FF Edinburgh, UK
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Biochar-based fertilizers and their applications in plant growth promotion and protection. 3 Biotech 2022; 12:136. [PMID: 35646504 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-022-03195-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil is an integral part of the ecosystem because it serves as a habitat for various microorganisms and lays the foundation for supporting plant growth and development. Therefore, factors such as increased anthropogenic activities hand by hand with other natural processes that harm the ecosystem may eventually lead to a decline in soil quality and fertility, hindering the growth of plants and soil microbial communities. Given the current global scenario of increasing human intervention, it is essential to find effective measures and reliable technologies to restore soil quality. Biochar is an emerging soil ameliorant employed for soil health restoration and is primarily generated through the anoxygenic pyrolysis of biomass. The biochar application in soil remediation may be beneficial due to biochar's unique physicochemical properties, including high carbon and metal fixation abilities. In addition, biochar possesses abilities to reduce the plant's environmental stress injuries. This review briefly overviewed the ingredients and mechanism of biochar productions. We then emphatically reviewed the advances in biochar applications in soil bioremediation, soil microflora growth stimulation, and the alleviation of various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants.
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Eco-approach for pharmaceutical removal: Thermochemical waste valorisation, biochar adsorption and electro-assisted regeneration. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.138694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Escudero-Curiel S, Penelas U, Sanromán MÁ, Pazos M. An approach towards Zero-Waste wastewater technology: Fluoxetine adsorption on biochar and removal by the sulfate radical. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 268:129318. [PMID: 33359996 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The appearance of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environments has become a serious problem because of their hazardous effect on the biota. Therefore, great efforts are focussed in the removal to these pollutants from wastewaters. In this study, an innovative technology based on the principles of Zero-Waste for the management of wastewater streams is presented. Hence, adsorption of fluoxetine (FLX), selected as a model pollutant, in an eco-friendly adsorbent, biochar, was followed by an in situ removal of the pharmaceutical in the solid matrix by the action of sulfate radicals. Initially, an in-depth characterisation of the adsorbent and the adsorption process was carried out. The pseudo-second order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm described well the process, and the electrostatic attractions were revealed as the primary adsorption mechanism. Later, the removal of the FLX was studied by the sulfate radicals, in the presence of activators (Fe2+ and citric acid), in liquid and onto the biochar medium. It was concluded that in order to enhance the pollutant removal it is necessary the presence of both activators in liquid media. However, in in situ removal onto biochar, it was not necessary the Fe2+ presence and only the addition of complexing agents was required as a result of biochar's mineral content. Finally, the applicability of the proposed approach was studied in fixed-bed column assays where the adsorption and the removal of the pollutant were efficiently accomplished. This fact confirms the suitability of the developed process as a viable alternative in the treatment of wastewaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Escudero-Curiel
- CINTECX University of Vigo, Department of Chemical Engineering Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Uxía Penelas
- CINTECX University of Vigo, Department of Chemical Engineering Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - M Ángeles Sanromán
- CINTECX University of Vigo, Department of Chemical Engineering Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Marta Pazos
- CINTECX University of Vigo, Department of Chemical Engineering Campus As Lagoas-Marcosende, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
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