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Filtration of microplastic spheres by biochar: removal efficiency and immobilisation mechanisms
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Researchers tested biochar as a low-cost filter material for removing microplastic spheres from water, finding effective removal and identifying electrostatic attraction and physical entrapment as the main immobilization mechanisms.
Extensive presence of microplastic pollution in the aquatic environment has recently been identified as a critical global challenge. A large proportion of the microplastic in aquatic environments originates from the effluent discharges from wastewater treatment plants and urban runoff. We present an experimental study on the removal of microplastic spheres using biochar as potential low-cost material for integration in sand filter systems to improve their efficiency for removing microbeads in wastewater treatment plants. Based on the results of a series of filtration tests and microscopic characterisation, the major mechanisms of interactions between the microplastic spheres and biochar and immobilisation processes are presented. The results of leaching column tests on three biochar samples produced at three different temperatures from corn straw and a hardwood biochar are compared. The results show that the biochar filters provide significant capacity for the removal and immobilisation of 10 µm diameter microplastic spheres (above 95%) which is much larger than that of similar grain-sized sand filter studied. The extensive ESEM microscopic examination on the samples retrieved after the leaching tests show that the microplastic spheres were immobilised through three morphologically controlled mechanisms which are conceptualised to be 'Stuck', 'Trapped' and 'Entangled' whilst the microplastic spheres only 'Stuck' in sand filter. The presence of abundant honeycomb structures and thin chips to the high removal and immobilisation capacity of corn straw biochar produced at 500 °C and the hardwood biochar. In this study, we demonstrate that biochar can offer extensive potential for immobilisation of microplastic spheres (microbeads). This capacity can in principle be investigated and utilised to improve the efficiency of sand filters to remove microplastic in wastewater treatment plants.
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Researchers found that adding a thin biochar layer to sand filtration columns greatly improved microplastic removal from water, with biochar produced at higher pyrolysis temperatures performing better due to stronger electrostatic interactions with plastic particles.
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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.
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This review examines how modified biochar materials can be used to remove micro- and nanoplastics from water. Researchers found that chemical functionalization and nanoparticle integration of biochar significantly improve its ability to capture plastic particles through mechanisms like electrostatic interaction and physical adsorption. The study also highlights challenges in regenerating used biochar for sustainable reuse in water treatment applications.
Microplastic Removal from Wastewater Using Biochar Based Composite
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This book chapter describes how biochar-based composites can be used as adsorbents for removing microplastics from wastewater, reviewing the mechanisms of plastic particle capture and the performance of biochar materials compared to conventional treatment approaches.
Engineered biochar for microplastic remediation in aquatic environments: Interfacial mechanisms, modification strategies, and future perspectives
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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.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.