Environmental Applications and Future Prospects of Biochar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62051/ijnres.v8n2.03Keywords:
Biochar; Soil; Environmental remediation; Carbon sequestration.Abstract
Biochar, a porous carbon-rich material produced through high-temperature pyrolysis of biomass, has shown great potential in environmental remediation and sustainable development. This article systematically reviews the development trajectory of biochar technology. Firstly, it elaborates on the structure-activity relationship between its preparation parameters and physicochemical properties. Secondly, it focuses on its application mechanisms and efficacy in three major environmental media: as a soil amendment and long-term carbon sequestration carrier in soil; as an efficient adsorption/catalytic material for pollutants in water; and its production process itself also contributes to greenhouse gas reduction. Despite its promising prospects, the large-scale application of biochar still faces challenges such as unclear long-term environmental behavior, incomplete ecological effect assessment, and the absence of standards. Finally, suggesting that long-term research and interdisciplinary collaboration are needed to quantify its long-term ecological safety and carbon sequestration potential, and to establish engineering standards and a life-cycle assessment system, in order to promote its transformation from a potential material to a reliable environmental solution.
References
[1] Cha, J. S.; Park, S. H.; Jung, S.-C.; Ryu, C.; Jeon, J.-K.; Shin, M.-C.; Park, Y.-K. Production and Utilization of Biochar: A Review. J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 2016, 40, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2016.06.002.
[2] Shen, L.; Zhu, X.; Jiang, H.; Zhang, J.; Chen, C.; R. Reinfelder, J.; Kappler, A.; Fang, L.; Liu, T.; Liu, C.; Wu, Y.; Li, F. Physical Contact between Bacteria and Carbonaceous Materials: The Key Switch Triggering Activated Carbon and Biochar to Promote Microbial Iron Reduction. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2025, acs.est.4c14024. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c14024.
[3] Hou, Y.; Huang, G.; Li, J.; Yang, Q.; Huang, S.; Cai, J. Hydrothermal Conversion of Bamboo Shoot Shell to Biochar: Preliminary Studies of Adsorption Equilibrium and Kinetics for Rhodamine B Removal. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 2019, 143, 104694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2019.104694.
[4] Wei, S.; Zhu, M.; Fan, X.; Song, J.; Peng, P.; Li, K.; Jia, W.; Song, H. Influence of Pyrolysis Temperature and Feedstock on Carbon Fractions of Biochar Produced from Pyrolysis of Rice Straw, Pine Wood, Pig Manure and Sewage Sludge. Chemosphere 2019, 218, 624–631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.11.177.
[5] Premchand, P.; Demichelis, F.; Chiaramonti, D.; Bensaid, S.; Fino, D. Biochar Production from Slow Pyrolysis of Biomass under CO2 Atmosphere: A Review on the Effect of CO2 Medium on Biochar Production, Characterisation, and Environmental Applications. J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 2023, 11 (3), 110009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2023.110009.
[6] Sohi, S. P.; Krull, E.; Lopez-Capel, E.; Bol, R. Chapter 2 - A Review of Biochar and Its Use and Function in Soil. In Advances in Agronomy; Advances in Agronomy; Academic Press, 2010; Vol. 105, pp 47–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(10)05002-9.
[7] O’Connor, D.; Peng, T.; Zhang, J.; Tsang, D. C. W.; Alessi, D. S.; Shen, Z.; Bolan, N. S.; Hou, D. Biochar Application for the Remediation of Heavy Metal Polluted Land: A Review of in Situ Field Trials. Sci. Total Environ. 2018, 619–620, 815–826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.132.
[8] Xu, T.; Lou, L.; Luo, L.; Cao, R.; Duan, D.; Chen, Y. Effect of Bamboo Biochar on Pentachlorophenol Leachability and Bioavailability in Agricultural Soil. Sci. Total Environ. 2012, 414, 727–731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.11.005.
[9] Zama, E. F.; Reid, B. J.; Arp, H. P. H.; Sun, G.-X.; Yuan, H.-Y.; Zhu, Y.-G. Advances in Research on the Use of Biochar in Soil for Remediation: A Review. J. Soils Sediments 2018, 18 (7), 2433–2450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-018-2000-9.
[10] Luo, D.; Wang, L.; Nan, H.; Cao, Y.; Wang, H.; Kumar, T. V.; Wang, C. Phosphorus Adsorption by Functionalized Biochar: A Review. Environ. Chem. Lett. 2023, 21 (1), 497–524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-022-01519-5.
[11] Januševičius, T.; Mažeikienė, A.; Danila, V.; Paliulis, D. The Characteristics of Sewage Sludge Pellet Biochar Prepared Using Two Different Pyrolysis Methods. Biomass Convers. Biorefinery 2024, 14 (1), 891–900. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-02295-y.
[12] Jiao, Y.; Zhang, N.; He, C.; Ma, X.; Liu, X.; Liu, L.; Hou, T.; Wang, Z.; Pan, X. Preparation of Sludge-Corn Stalk Biochar and Its Enhanced Anaerobic Fermentation. Biochem. Eng. J. 2022, 187, 108609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2022.108609.
[13] Gascó, G.; Paz-Ferreiro, J.; Álvarez, M. L.; Saa, A.; Méndez, A. Biochars and Hydrochars Prepared by Pyrolysis and Hydrothermal Carbonisation of Pig Manure. Waste Manag. 2018, 79, 395–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.08.015.
[14] Biswas, B.; Balla, P.; Krishna, B. B.; Sushil Adhikari; Bhaskar, T. Physiochemical Characteristics of Bio-Char Derived from Pyrolysis of Rice Straw under Different Temperatures. Biomass Convers. Biorefinery 2024, 14 (12), 12775–12783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-03261-y.
[15] Balmuk, G.; Videgain, M.; Manyà, J. J.; Duman, G.; Yanik, J. Effects of Pyrolysis Temperature and Pressure on Agronomic Properties of Biochar. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 2023, 169, 105858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2023.105858.
[16] Hu, X. Effects of Biomass Pre-Pyrolysis and Pyrolysis Temperature on Magnetic Biochar Properties. 2017.
[17] Lin, J.; Zhang, Q.; Xia, H.; Cheng, S. Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature on Pyrolysis of Pine Saw Dust and Application of Bio-Char. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2022, 19 (3), 1977–1984. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03159-8.
[18] Tag, A. T.; Duman, G.; Ucar, S.; Yanik, J. Effects of Feedstock Type and Pyrolysis Temperature on Potential Applications of Biochar. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 2016, 120, 200–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2016.05.006.
[19] Abnisa, F.; Wan Daud, W. M. A. A Review on Co-Pyrolysis of Biomass: An Optional Technique to Obtain a High-Grade Pyrolysis Oil. Energy Convers. Manag. 2014, 87, 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2014.07.007.
[20] Cao, J.; Jiang, Y.; Tan, X.; Li, L.; Cao, S.; Dou, J.; Chen, R.; Hu, X.; Qiu, Z.; Li, M.; Chen, Z.; Zhu, H. Sludge-Based Biochar Preparation: Pyrolysis and Co-Pyrolysis Methods, Improvements, and Environmental Applications. Fuel 2024, 373, 132265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2024.132265.
[21] Ding, Y.; Liu, Y.; Liu, S.; Li, Z.; Tan, X.; Huang, X.; Zeng, G.; Zhou, L.; Zheng, B. Biochar to Improve Soil Fertility. A Review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 2016, 36 (2), 36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-016-0372-z.
[22] Rahmanian, M.; Khadem, A. The Effects of Biochar on Soil Extra and Intracellular Enzymes Activity. Biomass Convers. Biorefinery 2024, 14 (18), 21993–22005. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-023-04330-6.
[23] Yi, S.; Chang, N. Y.; Imhoff, P. T. Predicting Water Retention of Biochar-Amended Soil from Independent Measurements of Biochar and Soil Properties. Adv. Water Resour. 2020, 142, 103638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2020.103638.
[24] Qi, S.; Degen, A.; Wang, W.; Huang, M.; Li, D.; Luo, B.; Xu, J.; Dang, Z.; Guo, R.; Shang, Z. Systemic Review for the Use of Biochar to Mitigate Soil Degradation. GCB Bioenergy 2024, 16 (6), e13147. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.13147.
[25] Mikajlo, I.; Lerch, T. Z.; Louvel, B.; Hynšt, J.; Záhora, J.; Pourrut, B. Composted Biochar versus Compost with Biochar: Effects on Soil Properties and Plant Growth. Biochar 2024, 6 (1), 85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00379-2.
[26] Gao, X.; Yang, J.; Wang, A.; Liu, W. The Reduction of Nitrogen Loss Using Biochar for Soil Fertility Reservation. J. Soils Sediments 2024, 24 (6), 2416–2424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-024-03803-z.
[27] Nath, H.; Sarkar, B.; Mitra, S.; Bhaladhare, S. Biochar from Biomass: A Review on Biochar Preparation Its Modification and Impact on Soil Including Soil Microbiology. Geomicrobiol. J. 2022, 39 (3–5), 373–388. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2022.2028942.
[28] Wang, B.; Lan, J.; Bo, C.; Gong, B.; Ou, J. Adsorption of Heavy Metal onto Biomass-Derived Activated Carbon: Review. RSC Adv. 2023, 13 (7), 4275–4302. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA07911A.
[29] Zhou, J.; Chen, H.; Thring, R. W.; Arocena, J. M. Chemical Pretreatment of Rice Straw Biochar: Effect on Biochar Properties and Hexavalent Chromium Adsorption. Int. J. Environ. Res. 2019, 13 (1), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-018-0156-1.
[30] Chen, D.; Liu, W.; Wang, Y.; Lu, P. Effect of Biochar Aging on the Adsorption and Stabilization of Pb in Soil. J. Soils Sediments 2022, 22 (1), 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-03059-x.
[31] Liu, J.; Wang, F.; Xu, W. Characteristics of Zinc Adsorption onto Biochars Derived from Different Feedstocks. Water 2023, 15 (21), 3789. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15213789.
[32] Braghiroli, F. L.; Bouafif, H.; Neculita, C. M.; Koubaa, A. Activated Biochar as an Effective Sorbent for Organic and Inorganic Contaminants in Water. Water. Air. Soil Pollut. 2018, 229 (7), 230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3889-8.
[33] Gupta, R.; Pandit, C.; Pandit, S.; Gupta, P. K.; Lahiri, D.; Agarwal, D.; Pandey, S. Potential and Future Prospects of Biochar-Based Materials and Their Applications in Removal of Organic Contaminants from Industrial Wastewater. J. Mater. Cycles Waste Manag. 2022, 24 (3), 852–876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-022-01391-z.
[34] Chen, X.; Yu, G.; Chen, Y.; Tang, S.; Su, Y. Cow Dung-Based Biochar Materials Prepared via Mixed Base and Its Application in the Removal of Organic Pollutants. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23 (17), 10094. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231710094.
[35] Chen, Y.; Zhang, X.; Chen, W.; Yang, H.; Chen, H. The Structure Evolution of Biochar from Biomass Pyrolysis and Its Correlation with Gas Pollutant Adsorption Performance. Bioresour. Technol. 2017, 246, 101–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.08.138.
[36] Ghanbarpour Mamaghani, Z.; Hawboldt, K. A.; MacQuarrie, S.; Katz, M. J. Impact Evaluation of Coexisting Gas CO on CO2 Adsorption on Biochar Derived from Softwood Shavings. Sep. Purif. Technol. 2024, 338, 126529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2024.126529.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mengge Wang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
