Use of biomass-derived biochar in wastewater treatment and power production: A promising solution for a sustainable environment

Over the past few years, we are witnessing the advent of a revolutionary bioengineering technology in biochar production and its application in waste treatment and an important component in power generation devices. Biochar is a solid product, highly rich in carbon, whose adsorption properties are ideal for wastewater decontamination. Due to its high specific surface area to volume ratio, it can be utilized for many environmental applications. It has diverse applications in various fields. This review focuses on its various applications in wastewater treatment to remove various pollutants such as heavy metals, dyes, organic compounds, and pesticides. This review also highlights several energy-based applications in batteries, supercapacitors, and microbial fuel cells. It described information about the different feedstock materials to produce LB-derived biochar, the various conditions for the production process, i.e., pyrolysis and the modification methods of biochar for improving properties required for wastewater treatment. The present review helps the readers understand the importance of biochar in wastewater treatment and its application in power generation in terms of batteries, supercapacitors, microbial fuel cells, applications in fuel production, pollutant and dye removal, particularly the latest development on using LB-derived biochar. This review also highlights the economic and environmental sustainability along with the commercialization of biochar plants. It also describes various pyrolytic reactors utilized for biochar production.