A Review on Application of Biochar in the Removal of Pharmaceutical Pollutants through Adsorption and Persulfate-Based AOPs

Ziyang Kang, Xigai Jia, Yuchen Zhang, Xiaoxuan Kang, Ming Ge, Dong Liu, Chongqing Wang () and Zhangxing He ()
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Ziyang Kang: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China
Xigai Jia: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China
Yuchen Zhang: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China
Xiaoxuan Kang: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China
Ming Ge: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China
Dong Liu: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China
Chongqing Wang: School of Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Zhangxing He: College of Chemical Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-25

Abstract: Increasing quantities of pharmaceutical pollutants have been found in aquatic ecosystems. The treatment of pharmaceutical pollutants has been a major task that people have been committed to in recent years. The removal of pharmaceutical pollutants can be achieved by adsorption and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Compared with other carbon materials, biochar has a strong adsorption capacity and persulfate activation ability, and more importantly, biochar is cheap and easy to obtain; thus, it has higher economic benefits. This study firstly reviews the application of biochar in the removal of drugs (tetracycline (TC), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), acetaminophen (ACT), cephalexin (CPX), levofloxacin (LEV), etc.) through adsorption and persulfate-based AOPs. In addition, we summarize the adsorption mechanism of biochar for various pharmaceutical pollutants and the main attack sites on different pharmaceutical pollutants in persulfate-based AOPs catalyzed by biochar. Finally, the challenges and prospects of biochar with respect to the removal of pharmaceutical pollutants are put forward.

Keywords: biochar; pharmaceutical pollutants; adsorption; persulfate; removal mechanism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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