Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Biochar applications in microplastic and nanoplastic removal: mechanisms and integrated approaches

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.

2024 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 13 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

Removal of micro- and nano-plastics from aqueous matrices using modified biochar – A review of synthesis, applications, interaction, and regeneration

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.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Trends in the applications of biochar for the abatement of microplastics in water

This review examines how biochar can be used to remove microplastics and nanoplastics from water, summarizing recent advances in biochar modification strategies that improve adsorption capacity and minimize secondary pollution risks.

2025 Bioresource Technology Reports
Article Tier 2

Adsorption of Pollutants from Wastewater by Biochar: A Review

This review examines how biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, can be used to remove pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and organic chemicals from wastewater. Biochar works by adsorbing contaminants onto its surface, and its effectiveness can be improved through chemical modifications. The technology offers a low-cost, sustainable approach to water treatment that could help reduce microplastic contamination in water supplies.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 218 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthesis Methods, Properties, and Modifications of Biochar-Based Materials for Wastewater Treatment: A Review

This review covers biochar-based materials made from agricultural waste and their use in treating contaminated water, including their ability to remove heavy metals, organic pollutants, and emerging contaminants. While not specifically about microplastics, biochar's adsorption properties make it a promising tool for removing microplastics and the chemicals they carry from water. Low-cost water treatment materials like biochar could help reduce human exposure to microplastics, especially in communities that lack advanced treatment infrastructure.

2024 Resources 71 citations
Article Tier 2

The Removal and Mitigation Effects of Biochar on Microplastics in Water and Soils: Application and Mechanism Analysis

This review examines how biochar can be used to both remove microplastics from water and mitigate their harmful effects in soils. Researchers found that woody biochar was the most effective type for adsorbing microplastics, while also helping to restore soil enzyme activities and microbial communities disrupted by plastic contamination. The study calls for further research into optimizing biochar applications and understanding the long-term environmental implications of biochar-microplastic interactions.

2024 Sustainability 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Research status, trends, and mechanisms of biochar adsorption for wastewater treatment: a scientometric review

This review analyzes over 2,600 scientific publications on using biochar, a charcoal-like material, to treat polluted water by absorbing contaminants including heavy metals and organic pollutants. While not focused specifically on microplastics, biochar-based treatments are also being explored for removing microplastics from water. The review highlights that improving these affordable filtration materials could help reduce human exposure to multiple water contaminants, including microplastics.

2024 Environmental Sciences Europe 96 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancements in Biochar as a Sustainable Adsorbent for Water Pollution Mitigation

This review examines how biochar, a charcoal-like material made from plant waste, can remove over 80% of microplastics and nanoplastics from contaminated water, along with heavy metals and other pollutants. Advances in biochar production and machine learning optimization are making it a promising, sustainable tool for cleaning microplastic-polluted water before it reaches people.

2025 Advanced Science 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorptive behavior of micro(nano)plastics through biochar: Co-existence, consequences, and challenges in contaminated ecosystems

This review examines how biochar can adsorb micro- and nanoplastics with over 90% removal efficiency in aqueous systems, while also discussing their combined effects on soil properties, microbial communities, and plant growth.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 138 citations
Article Tier 2

Application of carbon-based adsorbents in the remediation of micro- and nanoplastics

This review summarizes how carbon-based materials like activated carbon, biochar, and carbon nanotubes can be used to remove micro and nanoplastics from water through adsorption. These materials are attractive because they are low-cost, eco-friendly, and can be modified to improve their plastic-capturing ability. Better water filtration materials could help reduce the amount of microplastics that reach people through drinking water and food preparation.

2023 Journal of Environmental Management 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into the removal of microplastics from water using biochar in the era of COVID-19: A mini review

Researchers reviewed how COVID-19 accelerated microplastic pollution through increased use of disposable plastics, and assessed biochar — a carbon-rich material made by heating organic waste — as a promising low-cost adsorbent for removing microplastics from water, especially when combined with other materials.

2021 Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 122 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanomaterials and biochar mediated remediation of emerging contaminants

This review covers how nanomaterials and biochar can be used to remove emerging contaminants, including microplastics, from the environment through techniques like photocatalysis and enhanced filtration. Developing effective cleanup methods is critical because these contaminants can persist in water and soil for long periods, eventually reaching humans through food and drinking water.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 62 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollutants in water: A comprehensive review on their remediation by adsorption using various adsorbents

This review covers the different materials scientists are developing to filter microplastics out of water, including biochar, activated carbon, sponges, carbon nanotubes, and newer hybrid materials. Each material has trade-offs in terms of cost, effectiveness, and environmental impact, but combining different approaches shows the most promise. The research is important because better water filtration methods could directly reduce the amount of microplastics people consume through drinking water.

2024 Chemosphere 67 citations
Article Tier 2

Sludge-derived biochar: Physicochemical characteristics for environmental remediation

This review examines how sewage sludge can be converted into biochar, a carbon-rich material useful for cleaning up environmental contaminants including microplastics and heavy metals from water and soil. The process turns a waste product into an effective pollution filter while reducing the volume of sludge that needs disposal. This approach is relevant to microplastics research because biochar could help remove plastic particles from contaminated water and agricultural land.

2023 Applied Physics Reviews 38 citations
Article Tier 2

The Use of Biochar for Removal of Emerging Contaminants in Contaminated Water

This literature review examined 15 studies on biochar for removing emerging contaminants from water and effluents, finding that biochar made from waste raw materials is a low-cost, efficient, and scalable adsorbent for various pollutants. The review is relevant to microplastic research as biochar has potential as a treatment material for water contaminated with emerging contaminants co-occurring with microplastics.

2023 Journal of Interdisciplinary Debates
Article Tier 2

Innovative Strategies for Microplastic Mitigation in Wastewater

This book chapter proposes the use of biochar-based composite materials as innovative filter media for removing microplastics from wastewater, describing the adsorption mechanisms by which biochar captures plastic particles and the potential to integrate this approach into existing treatment infrastructure.

2025
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Frontiers in Environmental Science 127 citations
Article Tier 2

Addressing the Microplastic Dilemma in Soil and Sediment with Focus on Biochar-Based Remediation Techniques: Review

This review examines how biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, can be used to remediate microplastic-contaminated soils and sediments. Researchers found that biochar can adsorb microplastics and reduce their mobility, while also improving overall soil health and microbial activity. The study highlights biochar-based approaches as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy for addressing microplastic pollution in terrestrial environments.

2023 Soil Systems 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon-Based Adsorbents for Microplastic Removal from Wastewater

This review examines how carbon-based materials like biochar, activated carbon, and carbon nanotubes can filter microplastics out of wastewater. Modified versions of these materials showed high removal rates, suggesting they could help reduce the amount of microplastics that reach drinking water sources and, ultimately, the human body.

2024 Materials 46 citations