Papers

61,005 results
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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

Adsorption and mechanism of magnetically modified industrial hemp straw biochar on microplastics in aqueous solution

A magnetically modified industrial hemp straw biochar adsorbent was developed and tested for removing polystyrene microplastics from groundwater. The KOH-activated, iron-modified biochar achieved efficient MP adsorption through electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interactions, offering a sustainable low-cost remediation material.

2026 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 1 citations
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

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

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

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

Robust polyaniline coating magnetic biochar nanoparticles for fast and wide pH and temperature range removal of nanoplastics and achieving label free detection

Researchers created polyaniline-coated magnetic biochar nanoparticles from agricultural waste and demonstrated they can remove polystyrene nanoplastics from water at 95–99% efficiency across a wide pH range (1–10) and temperature range, while also functioning as an electrochemical sensor for nanoplastic detection down to 1.26 μg/L.

2025 Water Research 12 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 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

Biochar-facilitated remediation of nanoplastic contaminated water: Effect of pyrolysis temperature induced surface modifications

Researchers synthesized sugarcane bagasse biochar at three pyrolysis temperatures and found that biochar produced at 750°C removed over 99% of nanoplastics from water within 5 minutes, with monolayer sorption kinetics and a capacity of 44.9 mg/g, offering a rapid and efficient agricultural-waste-derived remediation approach.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 227 citations
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

Upgrading biochar via co-pyrolyzation of agricultural biomass and polyethylene terephthalate wastes

PET plastic bottles were co-processed with rice straw at high temperatures to create biochar that can effectively absorb multiple types of pollutants from water. This study demonstrates a way to repurpose plastic waste while also creating a useful tool for environmental remediation.

2019 RSC Advances 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of polypropylene nanoplastics from aqueous solution by biochar derived from Date palm fibers: Kinetics and isotherms studies

Researchers examined activated carbon derived from date palm fiber powder as an adsorbent for removing polypropylene nanoplastics from aqueous solutions, characterizing the material via XRD, FT-IR, and SEM and optimizing contact time, nanoplastic concentration, and adsorbent dosage while determining equilibrium and kinetic adsorption parameters.

2024 Analytical Methods in Environmental Chemistry Journal 1 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

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

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

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

Enhanced removal of aged and differently functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics using ball-milled magnetic pinewood biochars

Researchers developed magnetic biochars from pinewood using ball-milling with iron oxide nanoparticles, achieving highly effective removal of various functionalized and aged polystyrene nanoplastics from water with easy magnetic separation and reusability.

2022 Environmental Pollution 91 citations
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

Microplastic Removal from Wastewater Using Biochar Based Composite

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.

2025
Article Tier 2

Investigations on adsorptive removal of PVC microplastics from aqueous solutions using Pinus roxburghii–derived biochar

Researchers tested pine bark biochar and chemically modified pine bark biochar for removing PVC microplastics from water, emphasizing recovery of value from Himalayan forest residues. Modified biochar showed significantly enhanced PVC microplastic adsorption, with the modification improving surface chemistry to favor plastic particle binding.

2024 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Turning trash into tools: agricultural waste-derived biochars and composites for microplastic removal from wastewater

This review examined the use of agricultural waste-derived biochars and biochar composites as sustainable sorbents for microplastic removal from wastewater. Researchers summarised how engineered biochars produced from crop residues and other agricultural biowaste can be functionalized to achieve efficient microplastic remediation, offering a circular economy approach to both waste valorisation and pollution control.

2025 RSC Sustainability
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

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