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Biochar: a sustainable solution

Author

Listed:
  • Abhishek Kumar

    (Birla Institute of Technology)

  • Tanushree Bhattacharya

    (Birla Institute of Technology)

Abstract

The planet Earth has been thronged by a horde of threatening issues since the late twentieth century. Climate change, fossil fuel depletion and various types of pollution, including heavy metal pollution, have hit the humanity hard. Application of biochar has been emerged as a viable option to tackle heavy metal pollution. Biochar is a carbonaceous product obtained on pyrolysing any substance containing biomass. The chemico-physical properties of biochar depend on the type of feedstock used and the pyrolysis temperature involved in its production. Its remarkable properties of high porosity, large surface area, surplus surface functional groups and high adsorption capacity make it an excellent substrate for removing heavy metals from contaminated soil and water. At the same time, it can also tackle the emerging issues of climate change, by sequestering carbon, curtail depleting fossil fuels via bio-oil and syngas production, and it turns out to be a cheap and eco-friendly method. Due to such wide ranging applications, the review was conceptualized to determine whether biochar can be a sustainable solution to deal with the various threatening issues. The review focuses upon production, properties and applications of biochar showing that it can help in partial achievement of multiple sustainable development goals.​

Suggested Citation

  • Abhishek Kumar & Tanushree Bhattacharya, 2021. "Biochar: a sustainable solution," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 6642-6680, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:23:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s10668-020-00970-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-020-00970-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Roberts, Cameron & Greene, Jenna & Nemet, Gregory F., 2023. "Key enablers for carbon dioxide removal through the application of biochar to agricultural soils: Evidence from three historical analogues," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    2. Dominik Anđelini & Danko Cvitan & Melissa Prelac & Igor Pasković & Marko Černe & Ivan Nemet & Nikola Major & Smiljana Goreta Ban & Zoran Užila & Tea Zubin Ferri & Branka Njegić Džakula & Marko Petek &, 2023. "Biochar from Grapevine-Pruning Residues Is Affected by Grapevine Rootstock and Pyrolysis Temperature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Nabila, Rakhmawati & Hidayat, Wahyu & Haryanto, Agus & Hasanudin, Udin & Iryani, Dewi Agustina & Lee, Sihyun & Kim, Sangdo & Kim, Soohyun & Chun, Donghyuk & Choi, Hokyung & Im, Hyuk & Lim, Jeonghwan &, 2023. "Oil palm biomass in Indonesia: Thermochemical upgrading and its utilization," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

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