Biochar and Waste-Derived Innovations for Soil Remediation, Carbon Sequestration, and Climate Resilience
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil Conservation and Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 July 2026 | Viewed by 39
Special Issue Editor
Interests: soil remediation systems; soil science and soil reclamation; heavy metals and metalloids; biosurfactants in soil remediation; phytoremediation; waste-based materials in soil remediation; sewage sludge management; biochar; pyrolysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Properly managed and processed waste materials hold significant potential as sustainable soil amendments. Among them, biochar has gained increasing attention for its multifunctional benefits, including soil remediation and climate change mitigation. This Special Issue invites original research and reviews on innovative waste-based strategies, particularly those utilizing engineered or modified biochars produced through co-pyrolysis, chemical functionalization, composite formulation, etc. Special attention is given to their role in immobilizing heavy metals, organic pollutants, and enhancing soil quality across various soil types.
Although biochar is often considered stable, it can undergo physicochemical transformations in soil systems due to environmental and biological interactions. Understanding these changes is essential for assessing its long-term performance. Contributions exploring how biochars are derived from complex waste streams (e.g., sewage sludge and mixed organic residues) and how effective they are in addressing emerging contaminants such as PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics are particularly welcome. Topics of interest include the following: biochar aging (natural and accelerated), field performance, biochar–microbe–plant interactions, and biochar’s capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also enhancing carbon sequestration.
This Special Issue aims to be a timely and comprehensive addition to the expanding body of knowledge regarding biochar and sustainable waste reuse, thereby helping researchers, practitioners, and policymakers connect innovations with practical environmental outcomes.
As Guest Editor, I invite high-quality submissions that advance our understanding and practical application of waste-derived materials for environmental sustainability.
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Mariusz Zygmunt Gusiatin
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- biochar
- sewage sludge biochar
- functionalized carbon materials
- waste-derived amendments
- soil remediation
- emerging contaminants
- carbon sequestration
- greenhouse gas mitigation
- biochar stability in field conditions, including seasonal changes
- biochar–microbe–plant interactions
- circular economy
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