Potential of Biochar from Wood Gasification to Retain Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Lignocellulosic biomass for biochar production: A green initiative on biowaste conversion for pharmaceutical and other emerging pollutant removal

Lignocellulosic waste generation and their improper disposal has accelerated the problems associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions and associated environmental pollution. Constructive ways to manage and mitigate the pollution associated with lignocellulosic waste has propelled the research on biochar production using lignocellulose-based substrates. The sustainability of various biochar production technologies in employing lignocellulosic biomass as feedstock for biochar production not only aids in the lignocellulosic biomass valorization but also helps in carbon neutralization and carbon utilization. Functionalization of biochar through various physicochemical methods helps in improving their functional properties majorly by reducing the size of the biochar particles to nanoscale and modifying their surface properties. The usage of engineered biochar as nano adsorbents for environmental applications like dye absorption, removal of organic pollutants and endocrine disrupting compounds from wastewater has been the thrust areas of research in the past few decades. This review presents a comprehensive outlook on the up-to-date research findings related to the production and engineering of biochar from lignocellulosic biomass and their applications in environmental remediation especially with respect to wastewater treatment. Further a detailed discussion on various biochar activation methods and the future scope of biochar research is presented in this review work.

Viable remediation techniques to cleansing wastewaters comprising endocrine-disrupting compounds

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have recently gained prominence as emerging pollutants due to their significant negative impacts on diverse living forms in ecosystems, including humans, by altering their endocrine systems. EDCs are a prominent category of emerging contaminants in various aquatic settings. Given the growing population and limited access to freshwater resources, their expulsion from aquatic systems is also a severe issue. EDC removal from wastewater depends on the physicochemical properties of the specific EDCs found in each wastewater type and various aquatic environments. Due to these components' chemical, physical, and physicochemical diversity, various approaches based on physical, biological, electrochemical, and chemical procedures have been developed to eliminate them. The objective of this review is to provide the comprehensive overview by selecting recent approaches that showed significant impact on the best available methods for removing EDCs from various aquatic matrices. It is suggested that adsorption by carbon-based materials or bioresources is effective at higher EDC concentrations. Electrochemical mechanization works, but it requires expensive electrodes, continual energy, and chemicals. Due to the lack of chemicals and hazardous byproducts, adsorption and biodegradation are considered environmentally friendly. When combined with synthetic biology and an AI system, biodegradation can efficiently remove EDCs and replace conventional water treatment technologies in the near future. Hybrid in-house methods may reduce EDCs best, depending on the EDC and resources.