ABSTRACT
In recent years, extensive soil contamination has been caused by a variety of industrial sources, which include heavy metals and other organic contaminants, resulting in severe environmental contamination globally. Significant efforts have been made to remediate polluted soils. Among the numerous approaches adopted, biochar has proven to have significant potential for reducing the amount of heavy metals and organic contaminants in the environment. It has a higher surface area and a high capability for adsorption of heavy metals and organic contaminants. It is an alkaline material capable of enhancing the pH of the soil along with contributing to the stabilization of heavy metals. Numerous biochar products derived from diverse sources demonstrated significant promise for soil remediation. By incorporating biochar into the soil, metals such as Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were stabilized, and their bioavailability was reduced due to increased sorption. The biochar’s propensity to stabilize soil contaminants is often attributable to its cation exchange capacity, pH, and ash content. Furthermore, the modified biochar also enhances the movement of the anionic elements in the soil. Around 436 nonpolar organic compounds were adsorbed in the soil consisting of the modified biochar. The modification in the biochar enhanced their adsorption efficiency by controlling the biochar’s surface properties, including specific surface area, microporosity, and hydrophobicity. This chapter discusses the impact of the modifications in the biochar for soil restoration by improving its remediation efficiency.
