Comprehensive review on recent production trends and applications of biochar for greener environment

Sivasubramanian Manikandan; Sundaram Vickram; Ramasamy Subbaiya; Natchimuthu Karmegam; Soon Woong Chang; Balasubramani Ravindran; Mukesh Kumar Awasthi

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129725

Comprehensive review on recent production trends and applications of biochar for greener environment

Bioresour Technol. 2023 Nov:388:129725. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129725. Epub 2023 Sep 7.

Authors

Sivasubramanian Manikandan¹, Sundaram Vickram¹, Ramasamy Subbaiya², Natchimuthu Karmegam³, Soon Woong Chang⁴, Balasubramani Ravindran⁵, Mukesh Kumar Awasthi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Thandalam, Chennai 602 105. Tamil Nadu, India.
² Department of Biological Sciences, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, The Copperbelt University, Riverside, Jambo Drive, P O Box 21692 Kitwe, Zambia.
³ PG and Research Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem 636 007, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁴ Department of Environmental Energy and Engineering, Kyonggi University Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do 16227, Republic of Korea.
⁵ Department of Medical Biotechnology and Integrative Physiology, Institute of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Environmental Energy and Engineering, Kyonggi University Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do 16227, Republic of Korea.
⁶ College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China. Electronic address: mukeshawasthi85@nwafu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37683709
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129725

Abstract

The suitability of biochar as a supplement for environmental restoration varies significantly based on the type of feedstocks used and the parameters of the pyrolysis process. This study comprehensively examines several aspects of biochar's potential benefits, its capacity to enhance crop yields, improve nutrient availability, support the co-composting, water restoration and enhance overall usage efficiency. The supporting mechanistic evidence for these claims is also evaluated. Additionally, the analysis identifies various gaps in research and proposes potential directions for further exploration to enhance the understanding of biochar application. As a mutually advantageous approach, the integration of biochar into agricultural contexts not only contributes to environmental restoration but also advances ecological sustainability. The in-depth review underscores the diverse suitability of biochar as a supplement for environmental restoration, contingent upon the specific feedstock sources and pyrolysis conditions used. However, concerns have been raised regarding potential impacts on human health within agricultural sectors.

Keywords: Bioremediation; Circular economy; Environmental restoration; Nanobiochar; Sludge.

Publication types

Review