An overview on the application of biomass-derived biochar in the treatment of wastewater

Water is an essential molecule that sustains life on the planet and is crucial for our survival. Water bodies are incessantly being contaminated with effluents from industrial plants and factories, causing increased concern about the water’s quality. Biomass is becoming one of the popular energy resources being an eco-friendly andefficient alternative to traditional methods. When the biomass is subjected to high temperatures under controlled oxygen levels, the decomposition process results in the inception of a solid product, rich in carbon, having ideal adsorption properties, called biochar. It has myriads of environmental applications, but this chapter focuses on lignocellulosic biomass-derived biochar (LBDB) in decontamination of wastewater (WW), from multiple pollutants such as heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceutical compounds, pesticides, and so on. It describes the different feedstock materials required, its physicochemical characterization, the various conditions for the production process (pyrolysis), and the challenges associated with biochar application, requiring detailed research and feasible approaches to effectuate it, thereby helping the readers understand the importance of biochar in WW treatment, explicitly via LBDB, being a promising solution.