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Removal of microplastics and metals in biochar beds for stormwater treatment: Effects of prolonged drying and salinity on pollutant mobility
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Researchers tested biochar — a charcoal-like material made from organic waste — as a filter for removing microplastics and heavy metals from stormwater runoff, finding it retained up to 99% of microplastics but that prolonged dry periods and high salinity increased the release of metals, highlighting real-world limitations of this promising treatment approach.
Biochar-based filters offer a promising solution for removing pollutants from stormwater, yet their performance under environmental stressors remains insufficiently studied. This study evaluated the efficiency of biochar beds in retaining microplastics (MPs) and metals under prolonged dry conditions and with increased salinity. Results showed that MPs were well retained through entrapment in biochar's porous structure, with non-polar polypropylene (PP) fragments removed more efficiently (98–99%) than polar polyamide (PA) fragments (83–92%). The MP retention improved over time, highlighting biochar's long-term filtration potential. However, a five-week dry period lowered effluent pH, consequently increasing metal mobility, while higher salinity events enhanced the dissolution of some metals, reducing their total removal. To simulate real-world conditions, semi-artificial stormwater was created by mixing road dust with deionized water. This mixture, along with virgin MPs, was introduced into biochar beds twice weekly under first-flush conditions. Effluent analysis of metals and MPs via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µ-FTIR imaging), respectively, confirmed the preferential retention of non-polar MPs and shifts in metal mobility. These findings emphasize the importance of considering environmental conditions and polymer characteristics when assessing biochar's filtration performance in practical applications.
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Recent advances in biochar technology for aquatic pollution control: a critical review of applications, barriers, and future opportunities
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Researchers reviewed two decades of research on biochar — a charcoal-like material made from organic waste — as a low-cost tool for removing pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, microplastics, and nutrients from water, achieving up to 80% pollutant removal. While promising, challenges in regeneration and scaling up production remain barriers to widespread use.
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Tiny plastic particles are showing up everywhere in our water, and current treatment plants can only filter out 40-78% of them, meaning the rest ends up in our environment and potentially our bodies. This review paper highlights biochar—a charcoal-like material made from plant waste—as a cheap, eco-friendly filter that can be specially engineered to capture up to 99% of microplastics from water. While promising, scientists still need to standardize these methods and test them at larger scales before this becomes a widespread solution for cleaner drinking water.
Advancing microplastics remediation in bioretention systems using biochar/kaolin: Optimizing organics removal, plant health, and microbial community dynamics
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Researchers tested biochar, kaolin, and a combined kaolin-biochar composite in stormwater filtration columns and found the composite removed up to 97% of microplastics while also improving removal of organic pollutants and supporting beneficial soil bacteria. Adding plants to the system further boosted microplastic capture, pointing toward affordable, nature-friendly water treatment upgrades.
Biochar applications in microplastic and nanoplastic removal: mechanisms and integrated approaches
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This review explores how biochar, a charcoal-like material made from organic waste, can be used to filter microplastics and nanoplastics out of water. Researchers found that biochar works through several mechanisms and becomes even more effective when combined with other water treatment technologies. The study suggests biochar-based approaches could be a practical, low-cost strategy for tackling plastic pollution in water systems.
Biochar Application for Mitigation of Coastal and Marine Pollution
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Researchers investigated biochar as a technology for reducing microplastic contamination in coastal and marine environments, conducting experimental and computational modeling studies to assess the adsorption performance of biochar -- particularly algal waste-derived biochar -- in removing microplastics from wastewater discharge before it reaches marine ecosystems.
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