The environmental deterioration is in a grave situation, and it is urgent to restore the environment. Biochar is a carbon-rich pyrolysis product of feedstock, which has aroused extensive concern due to its broad application potential for getting rid of pollutants and rehabilitating environment. This review generalizes three aspects on biochar, including production and properties, applications and mechanisms, and its modifications. Firstly, the production and characteristics have been summarized, because the practical applications of biochar are highly related to the special characteristics of biochar. Secondly, this paper outlines the latest applications of biochar for environmental remediation, and further provides a critical review on the application mechanisms in environmental restoration. Thirdly, the modification methods and applications of modified biochar are summarized, and all of the ways can be classified into two types: pretreatment of feedstock and modification of primitive biochar. Furthermore, the possible improvements and outlooks of applying biochar in environmental remediation are proposed. This review provides useful information for the application of biochar in environmental restoration.
Keywords: Applications; Biochar; Characteristics; Mechanisms; Modification; Remediation.