Formation mechanisms and degradation methods of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in biochar: A review

Biochar has been widely used in soil amendment and environmental remediation. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be produced in preparation of biochar, which may pose potential risks to the environment and human health. At present, most studies focus on the ecotoxicity potential of biocha...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental management 2024-04, Vol.357, p.120610-120610, Article 120610
Main Authors: Yao, Canxu, Wang, Bing, Zhang, Jian, Faheem, Muhammad, Feng, Qianwei, Hassan, Masud, Zhang, Xueyang, Lee, Xinqing, Wang, Shengsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biochar
Control strategies
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Risk assessment
Toxicity
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Biochar has been widely used in soil amendment and environmental remediation. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be produced in preparation of biochar, which may pose potential risks to the environment and human health. At present, most studies focus on the ecotoxicity potential of biochar, while there are few systematic reviews on the formation mechanisms and mitigation strategies of PAHs in biochar. Therefore, a systematical understanding of the distribution, formation mechanisms, risk assessment, and degradation approaches of PAHs in biochar is highly needed. In this paper, the distribution and content of the total and bioavailable PAHs in biochar are reviewed. Then the formation mechanisms, influencing factors, and potential risk assessment of PAHs in biochar are systematically explored. After that, the effective strategies to alleviate PAHs in biochar are summarized. Finally, suggestions and perspectives for future studies are proposed. This review provides a guide for reducing the formation of biochar-associated PAHs and their toxicity, which is beneficial for the development and large-scale safe use of environmentally friendly biochar. [Display omitted] •The content of PAHs in most biochars is relatively high at 500–600 °C.•Feedstocks and temperature are the main factors affecting PAHs in biochar.•The importance of risk assessment of biochar containing PAHs is emphasized.•Thermal treatment can effectively remove PAHs from biochar.•Future studies need to focus on the fate of PAHs in biochar.
ISSN:0301-4797
1095-8630
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120610