title: Engineered/designer biochar for contaminant removal/immobilization from soil and water: Potential and implication of biochar modification.
abstract: The use of biochar has been suggested as a means of remediating contaminated soil and water. The practical applications of conventional biochar for contaminant immobilization and removal however need further improvements. Hence, recent attention has focused on modification of biochar with novel structures and surface properties in order to improve its remediation efficacy and environmental benefits. Engineered/designer biochars are commonly used terms to indicate application-oriented, outcome-based biochar modification or synthesis. In recent years, biochar modifications involving various methods such as, acid treatment, base treatment, amination, surfactant modification, impregnation of mineral sorbents, steam activation and magnetic modification have been widely studied. This review summarizes and evaluates biochar modification methods, corresponding mechanisms, and their benefits for contaminant management in soil and water. Applicability and performance of modification methods depend on the type of contaminants (i.e., inorganic/organic, anionic/cationic, hydrophilic/hydrophobic, polar/non-polar), environmental conditions, remediation goals, and land use purpose. In general, modification to produce engineered/designer biochar is likely to enhance the sorption capacity of biochar and its potential applications for environmental remediation.
authors.affiliation: Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea; Chemical and Environmental Systems Modeling Research Group, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Anushka Upamali
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Rajapaksha
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Season S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: dan.tsang@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Daniel C W
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Environmental Systems Modeling Research Group, National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Meththika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vithanage
authors.affiliation: CERAR, Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, Building-X, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Sanchita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: CERAR, Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, Building-X, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Nanthi S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bolan
authors.affiliation: Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, South Korea. Electronic address: soilok@kangwon.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yong Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ok
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002606:Charcoal / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Adsorbent; Black carbon; Charcoal; SMART biochar; Sorption; Surface chemistry