title: Progress in the preparation and application of modified biochar for improved contaminant removal from water and wastewater.
abstract: Modified biochar (BC) is reviewed in its preparation, functionality, applications and regeneration. The nature of precursor materials, preparatory conditions and modification methods are key factors influencing BC properties. Steam activation is unsuitable for improving BC surface functionality compared with chemical modifications. Alkali-treated BC possesses the highest surface functionality. Both alkali modified BC and nanomaterial impregnated BC composites are highly favorable for enhancing the adsorption of different contaminants from wastewater. Acidic treatment provides more oxygenated functional groups on BC surfaces. The Langmuir isotherm model provides the best fit for sorption equilibria of heavy metals and anionic contaminants, while the Freundlich isotherm model is the best fit for emerging contaminants. The pseudo 2(nd) order is the most appropriate model of sorption kinetics for all contaminants. Future research should focus on industry-scale applications and hybrid systems for contaminant removal due to scarcity of data.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Mohammad Boshir
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: junliang.zhou@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Huu H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Wenshan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
authors.forename: Mengfang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002606:Charcoal / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D059027:Recycling; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C540010:biochar
keywords: Column operation; Functionality; Modified biochar; Regeneration; Sorption isotherms