Biochar as a Sustainable Solution for Water and Soil Pollution: Removal of Organic and Inorganic Contaminants

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight the innovative application of biochar as a sustainable, multifunctional material for alleviating water and soil pollution in terms of both organic (e.g., micro(nano)plastics, pesticides, antibiotics, PFAS, PAHs, PPCPs) and inorganic (e.g., heavy metals, metalloids, nutrients) contaminants. The scope encompasses comprehensive research, ranging from fundamental investigations of the physicochemical characteristics and modifications of biochar to practical studies on its efficacy in environmental remediation, alongside life cycle and socio-economic evaluations of biochar technologies.

This issue aims to offer a thorough, multidisciplinary forum for academics to showcase novel discoveries regarding the design, processes, and practical uses of biochar for pollutant remediation. The primary emphasis will be on sustainable production techniques, sophisticated functionalisation approaches, and the incorporation of biochar into circular economy and climate mitigation systems. The topic aims to emphasise biochar's dual function in pollution mitigation and carbon sequestration, so aiding global sustainability objectives, including clean water, healthy soils, and climate action. This Special Issue strongly connects with the Sustainability journal's aim to enhance knowledge and solutions that foster environmental preservation, sustainable land and water management, and socio-economic resilience. This issue underscores the sustainable production and utilization of biochar, thereby directly contributing to discussions on innovative technologies that support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

This Special Issue acknowledge the importance of laboratory investigations and reviews which have practical applications with papers that address existing gaps, provide comprehensive assessments, and showcase innovative, practical solutions. It aims to integrate contemporary advancements while establishing future research trajectories at the convergence of materials science, environmental engineering, and sustainability studies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:  

• Sustainable production, modification, and characterization of biochar for environmental remediation
• Factors affecting biochar interactions with organic and inorganic pollutants
• Mechanisms of organic and inorganic pollutant adsorption, transformation, and immobilization
• Biochar-based composites and hybrid systems for enhanced remediation performance
• Pilot and field-scale studies demonstrate biochar efficacy in contaminated environments
• Long-term environmental behaviour, stability, and fate of pollutant-laden biochar
• Novel methods of biochar regeneration
• Economic, life cycle, and policy analyses supporting biochar deployment
• Biochar’s co-benefits in soil restoration, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling  

We look forward to receiving your contributions.  

Dr. Muhammad Junaid
Dr. Stuart Cairns
Dr. Iain Robertson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• biochar
• water pollution
• soil pollution
• organic contaminants
• inorganic contaminants
• heavy metals
• micro(nano)plastics
• pesticides
• pharmaceuticals
• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
• aquatic species
• plants