Biochar-based bioretention systems for removal of chemical and microbial pollutants from stormwater: A critical review
Abstract
Biochar has been increasingly used as a filter medium in engineered low impact development systems (e.g., bioretention systems) for decontamination of urban stormwater and management of hydrology. This review paper critically analyzes the performance of biochar-based biofiltration systems for removal of chemical and microbial pollutants present in urban runoff. Biochar-amended biofiltration systems efficiently remove diverse pollutants such as total nitrogen (32 - 61%), total phosphorus: (45 - 94%), heavy metals (27 - 100%), organics (54 - 100%) and microbial pollutants (log 10 removal: 0.78 - 4.23) from urban runoff. The variation of biofiltration performance is due to changes in biochar characteristics, the abundance of dissolved organic matter and/or stormwater chemistry. The dominant mechanisms responsible for removal of chemical pollutants are sorption, ion exchange and/or biotransformation, whereas filtration/straining is the major mechanism for bacteria removal. The pseudo-second order and Langmuir isotherm are the best models that describe the kinetics and chemical equilibrium of pollutants, respectively. This critical review provides the fundamental scientific knowledge for designing highly efficient biochar-based bioretention systems for removal of diverse pollutants from urban stormwater. The key knowledge gaps that should be addressed in future research include long-term field-scale bioretention study, development of novel methods for filter media regeneration/reu…
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There are many potential retention mechanisms for heavy metals by biochar (e.g., complexation, cation exchange).
“There are many potential retention mechanisms for heavy metals by biochar (e.g., complexation, cation exchange).33,34”
From Evaluation of sorbents and matrix effects for treating heavy metals and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as co-contaminants in stormwater (2023) · cites this paper as [33]
Biochar has been shown to cause effective sorption of heavy metals, which could leach from tire wear particles.
“This could include amendments such as biochar, that has been shown to cause effective sorption of heavy metals, which could leach from tire wear particles (Biswal et al., 2022).”
From Review of emerging contaminants in green stormwater infrastructure: antibiotic resistance genes, microplastics, tire wear particles, PFAS, and temperature (2024) · cites this paper as Biswal et al., 2022
Sorption and oxidation-reduction processes can be promoted through soil amendments such as granular activated carbon and biochar or metals.
“These processes can be promoted through soil amendments such as granular activated carbon and biochar (Biswal et al., 2022; Mahinroosta and Senevirathna, 2020) or metals (Douna and Yousefi, 2023; Valencia et al., 2019).”
From Review of emerging contaminants in green stormwater infrastructure: antibiotic resistance genes, microplastics, tire wear particles, PFAS, and temperature (2024) · cites this paper as Biswal et al., 2022
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References 147 · Cited by 132
- Authors
- Biswal, B. K., Vijayaraghavan, K., Tsen-Tieng, D. L., & Balasubramanian, R.
- Affiliations
- National University of Singapore (SG)
- National Parks Board (SG)
- Venue
- Journal of Hazardous Materials
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2022-01
- Volume
- 422
- Pages
- 126886
- ISSN
- 0304-3894 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3192406263
- Cited by
- 132
- References
- 147
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 4
- FWCI
- 1.71
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Hazardous Materials (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research Foundation Singapore
- Ministry of National Development - Singapore (COT-V4-2019-6)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Keywords
- biochar, bioretention systems, biofiltration, urban stormwater, low impact development, nitrogen removal, phosphorus removal, heavy metal removal, organic pollutant removal, bacterial removal, sorption, ion exchange, biotransformation, dissolved organic matter, isotherm models, filter media regeneration
- MeSH terms
- Dissolved Organic Matter, Charcoal, Environmental Pollutants, Rain
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