Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Efficiency of adsorption of PSNPs using spontaneous magnetic biochar prepared from pyrolysis of municipal sludge and industrial red mud solid waste

Researchers prepared a spontaneous magnetic biochar from municipal sludge and industrial red mud waste to remove polystyrene nanoplastics from water. The material achieved a 97.87% removal rate within 30 minutes, with electrostatic interactions identified as the primary adsorption mechanism. The magnetic properties of the biochar enabled easy solid-liquid separation without filtration, offering a practical approach for nanoplastic remediation using waste-derived materials.

2025 Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced polystyrene nanoplastic removal by CTAB-modified magnetic biochar: Adsorption performance and mechanisms

Researchers engineered a CTAB-modified magnetic biochar adsorbent that removes polystyrene nanoplastics with a maximum capacity of 234 mg/g — more than double unmodified biochar — through electrostatic attraction, hydrophobic interactions, and iron oxide surface complexation, while also being easily retrievable with a magnet.

2026 Journal of Environmental Management
Article Tier 2

Removal of nanoplastics from aqueous solution by aggregation using reusable magnetic biochar modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

CTAB-modified magnetic biochar was synthesized and found to efficiently remove polystyrene nanoplastics from water through electrostatic attraction, with the magnetic component enabling easy separation and reuse across multiple cycles. The composite offers a practical and low-cost approach for nanoplastic remediation from contaminated water.

2022 Environmental Pollution 76 citations
Article Tier 2

A novel polymer coated magnetic activated biochar-zeolite composite for adsorption of polystyrene microplastics: Synthesis, characterization, adsorption and regeneration performance

Researchers developed a new magnetic composite material made from biochar, zeolite, and polymer coatings that can effectively capture microplastics from water. The material removed over 90 percent of test microplastics and could be regenerated and reused multiple times. The study presents a promising, practical approach for filtering microplastics out of contaminated water using materials that can be magnetically recovered.

2023 Separation and Purification Technology 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and distribution of microplastics in wastewater system and their adsorptive removal using CTAB-modified magnetic biochar from aqueous matrices

Microplastics were detected throughout India's wastewater treatment systems, and a modified magnetic biochar was developed that effectively removes them from water, offering a promising low-cost treatment solution.

2023
Article Tier 2

One-step synthesis of magnetic biochar via co-pyrolysis of walnut shells and Fe-rich mine tails for adsorption capacity improvement of polystyrene sulfonate microplastics: Role of microplastic size

Scientists created a magnetic biochar from walnut shells and iron-rich mining waste that effectively absorbs polystyrene microplastics from water. The iron-enhanced biochar performed about ten times better than untreated biochar, with electrostatic interactions and pore-filling being the main capture mechanisms. This low-cost material made from waste products could be a practical tool for removing microplastics from water, potentially reducing human exposure through drinking water.

2024 Environmental Technology & Innovation 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption and thermal degradation of microplastics from aqueous solutions by Mg/Zn modified magnetic biochars

Researchers developed magnesium- and zinc-modified magnetic biochars that achieved over 94% removal efficiency for polystyrene microplastics from water, with performance enhanced by the metal modifications. The modified biochars also showed effectiveness in thermally degrading the captured microplastics, offering a potential two-step approach for microplastic removal and destruction in water treatment.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 471 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent advances and factors affecting the adsorption of nano/microplastics by magnetic biochar

This review examines recent advances in using magnetic biochar to adsorb nano- and microplastics from aquatic environments. Researchers found that magnetic biochar offers advantages over traditional biochar by enabling easy separation from water using magnets, avoiding secondary pollution from filtration. The study identifies key factors affecting adsorption efficiency and highlights magnetic biochar as a promising tool for microplastic remediation in contaminated water.

2024 Chemosphere 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Filtration of microplastic spheres by biochar: removal efficiency and immobilisation mechanisms

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.

2020 Water Research 430 citations
Article Tier 2

Transport characteristics of polystyrene microplastics in saturated porous media with biochar/Fe3O4-biochar under various chemical conditions

Biochar and iron oxide-modified biochar (Fe3O4-biochar) reduced the transport of polystyrene microplastics through sandy porous media by increasing surface attachment, with the effect modulated by humic acid concentration and ionic conditions. The findings suggest that biochar soil amendments could help immobilize MPs in contaminated agricultural soils and reduce their leaching to groundwater.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of pristine and aged microplastics from water by magnetic biochar: Adsorption and magnetization

Researchers evaluated whether magnetic corncob biochar could effectively remove both pristine and aged polyamide microplastics from water. The study found that aging dramatically changed the surface properties of microplastics, and the biochar removed approximately 97% of aged microplastics compared to only 25% of pristine ones, with smaller particle sizes further improving removal. Evidence indicates that adsorption combined with magnetization offers a practical approach for removing environmentally weathered microplastics from water.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 132 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced removal of PVC nanoplastics from water using microwave-activated palm frond biochar

Researchers developed a low-cost sorbent from palm-frond agricultural waste by microwave activation and NaOH treatment, and further produced a magnetically retrievable composite for enhanced removal of PVC nanoplastics from water. The modified palm-frond biochar demonstrated substantially improved nanoplastic adsorption capacity compared to unmodified biochar, offering a sustainable remediation material derived from agricultural waste.

2025 International journal of aquatic biology
Article Tier 2

Efficient removal of microplastics from aqueous solution by a novel magnetic biochar: performance, mechanism, and reusability

Researchers developed a magnetic biochar from rice husks that achieved 99.96% removal of microplastics from water, with the material showing excellent reusability and performance under various environmental conditions.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Chitosan‐assisted magnetic coconut shell biochar for polystyrene microplastic removal: Mechanism and reusability

Researchers created a recyclable magnetic biochar material from coconut shells, modified with chitosan, that removed up to 91% of polystyrene microplastics from water. The material maintained its effectiveness through five consecutive reuse cycles, and water treated with the biochar actually promoted better plant growth, demonstrating practical potential for environmental cleanup.

2025 Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Biochar-based adsorption technologies for microplastic remediation in aquatic ecosystems

This review examines the use of biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, as a tool for removing microplastics from water. Biochar can effectively adsorb microplastic particles due to its porous structure and surface chemistry, and it can be produced cheaply from agricultural waste. The technology shows promise as an affordable and sustainable approach to reducing microplastic contamination in waterways, though challenges remain in scaling it up for real-world water treatment.

2025 AIP Advances 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance and Mechanism of Sulfathiazole Adsorption by Magnetic Biochar: Promoting Effect of Co-existing Polystyrene and Simultaneous Removal

Researchers synthesized a magnetic biochar and tested its ability to remove the antibiotic sulfathiazole from water containing polystyrene microplastics, finding that the biochar achieved efficient removal of both contaminants simultaneously, with the microplastics actually promoting antibiotic adsorption.

2025
Article Tier 2

Removal of polystyrene nanosphere and fragment from aqueous solutions by magnetic biochar derived from crab shell

Researchers developed a magnetic biochar derived from crab shells (M-CSBC) and demonstrated its effectiveness for removing both spherical polystyrene nanoplastics and fragmental polystyrene microplastics from water. The material achieved maximum removal capacities of 90.09 mg/g for nanoplastics and 14.47 g/g for microplastics, following a Langmuir adsorption model, with performance influenced by pH and salinity.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
Article Tier 2

Coupled Influence of Magnetic Biochar and Solution Chemistries on Retention and Release of Nanoplastics in Porous Media

This study examined how magnetic biochar — a carbon-based material used in soil and groundwater remediation — affects the movement and retention of nanoplastics in porous soil-like media under varying water chemistry conditions. Magnetic biochar significantly increased nanoplastic retention and reduced their mobility through the porous medium, and the effect depended on the nanoplastics' surface chemistry, ionic strength, and the presence of organic matter. The findings suggest that adding biochar to contaminated soils could be a practical strategy to reduce the spread of nanoplastics through groundwater systems.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanistic and machine-learning insights into microplastic adsorption on modified magnetic biochar for circular-economy applications

Researchers investigated stearic acid-modified magnetic biochar for removing polystyrene microplastics from water, achieving approximately 94% removal efficiency. Machine learning analysis identified contact time, pH, and adsorbent type as the key predictors of removal performance, and the microplastic-laden adsorbent was successfully upcycled for dye removal, demonstrating a circular-economy approach to water treatment.

2026 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Insights into the removal of polystyrene nanoplastics using the contaminated corncob-derived mesoporous biochar from mining area

Researchers developed a mesoporous biochar from contaminated corncobs collected in mining areas that effectively adsorbs polystyrene nanoplastics from water, achieving high removal capacity through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 123 citations