Biochar for Water and Soil Remediation: Production, Characterization, and Application

Abstract

Water and soil pollution has caused serious global concerns due to their detrimental effect on ecological security and health risks. Remediation of the contaminated water and soil to rehabilitate their ecological functions is urgently needed to ensure sustainable food production and water supply. As a novel multifunctional carbonaceous material, biochar (BC), recognized for its potential roles in carbon sequestration, waste biomass management, bioenergy production, soil improvement, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and crop productivity enhancement, is highly recommended as an amendment for water and soil remediation. This chapter summarizes the feedstock and technologies for BC production, formation, and characterization, systematically reviews the current research findings on the roles of BC in removing inorganic contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, oxyanions) and organic contaminants (e.g., pesticides, antibiotics) from water, and extensively discusses BC application in remediation of soil contaminated with metals and organic pollutants. The stability of BC and its priming effects on native soil organic matter when used in soil carbon sequestration is also reviewed, as are the limitations and risks associated with applying it to environmental remediation. Additionally, existing knowledge gaps and future directions regarding water and soil remediation are identified. This information will be useful for the development and application of BC-based technologies in water and soil remediation.