We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The role of biochar in combating microplastic pollution: a bibliometric analysis in environmental contexts
Summary
This bibliometric review used network analysis to map the growing body of research on biochar — a charcoal-like material made from burned organic matter — as a tool for countering microplastic contamination in soils and water. Studies reviewed suggest that biochar can restore soil chemistry, improve microbial diversity, and boost crop yields by 30–81% even when microplastic contamination is high. The findings highlight biochar as a practical, low-cost intervention for farmers dealing with microplastic-polluted land.
This study employs a bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace to explore research trends on the impact of biochar on microplastics (MPs) in soil and water environments. In agricultural soils, MPs reduce crop yield, alter soil properties, and disrupt microbial diversity and nutrient cycling. Biochar, a stable and eco-friendly material, has demonstrated effectiveness in mitigating these effects by restoring soil chemistry, enhancing microbial diversity and improving crop productivity. Recent studies report that biochar increases crop yields by 30-81%, even under high MP contamination levels (up to five times that of biochar-modified bacteria). Additionally, biochar enhances Olsen-P availability by 46.6%, increases soil organic carbon in microaggregates by 35.7%, and reduces antibiotic resistance genes by promoting beneficial microbes such as Subgroup 10, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas. In aquatic systems, biochar serves as an efficient adsorbent, particularly for MPs larger than 10 µm, including polystyrene. Studies suggest that fixed-column models achieve superior removal efficiency (95.31% ± 5.26%) compared to batch systems (93.36% ± 4.92%). Specifically, for MPs ≥10 µm, fixed columns reach 99% efficiency, while magnetically modified biochar captures 96.2% of MPs as small as 1 µm. These efficiencies stem from biochar's integration of physical and chemical mechanisms that enhance MP retention, particularly for MPs smaller than 10 µm, positioning it as a promising solution for nanoplastic remediation.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Advances and prospects of biochar in improving soil fertility, biochemical quality, and environmental applications
This review examines how biochar, a charcoal-like material made from organic waste, can improve soil health and clean up pollutants including microplastics. Biochar's ability to absorb and trap contaminants makes it a promising tool for reducing microplastic pollution in agricultural soil. The findings suggest biochar could help limit the amount of microplastics that enter the food chain through crops grown in contaminated soil.
Applications of biochar in the remediation of soil microplastic pollution: A review
Researchers reviewed the use of biochar as a tool for remediating microplastic-contaminated soil. The study found that biochar application shows promise for addressing soil microplastic pollution by altering soil properties in ways that can reduce microplastic mobility and mitigate their negative effects on soil structure, plant growth, and biogeochemical cycling.
How biochar works, and when it doesn't: A review of mechanisms controlling soil and plant responses to biochar
This comprehensive review synthesizes 20 years of research on biochar, a charcoal-like material made from organic waste that can improve soil health and reduce pollution. Biochar can reduce plant uptake of heavy metals by 17-39% and increase nutrient availability, making it potentially useful for cleaning up microplastic-contaminated soils. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant because biochar could help mitigate the effects of soil pollutants that microplastics carry and concentrate.
Combined effect of biochar and soil moisture on soil chemical properties and microbial community composition in microplastic‐contaminated agricultural soil
Biochar was applied to microplastic-contaminated agricultural soil under different moisture conditions, with results showing that biochar improved soil chemical properties and shifted microbial communities in ways that partially offset microplastic-induced degradation. The study suggests biochar as a practical soil amendment to mitigate microplastic impacts in farming systems.
Biochar alters chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil
Researchers found that biochar amendments improved chemical and microbial properties of microplastic-contaminated soil, with effects varying by biochar type and water conditions, suggesting biochar as a potential remediation tool for plastic-polluted agricultural soils.