ABSTRACT
Biochar, a carbonaceous substance, offers tremendous promise for water/wastewater pollution treatment. The applications of biochar are gaining speed due to the wide accessibility of feedstocks, simple manufacturing processes, and unique properties of the feedstocks. The efficiency of biochar is primarily determined by the process of thermoconversion, pore size distribution, pore volume, surface area, surface functional groups, and the material’s high adsorption ability. Biochars produced by pyrolysis of feedstocks at elevated temperatures are typically hydrophobic in nature and have a large surface area and pore size, making them an excellent candidate for adsorption of organic contaminants, whereas biochars prepared at lower temperatures have smaller pores, a smaller surface area, and more oxygen-containing functional groups, making them a better candidate for inorganic sorption. This chapter discusses the various elements of biochar and how it is used in wastewater treatment to remove various sorts of contaminants. Based on future research in manufacturing and field-scale approaches, engineered/designer biochar can provide a new direction for wastewater treatment solutions by becoming a promising, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly technology.
