**3. Role of biochar use in wastewater treatment process**

Biochar could be used at different stages of wastewater treatment (**Figure 1**) to improve the treatment efficiency and recovery of value-added byproducts. Biochar application in wastewater treatment could be governed by the mechanism of adsorption, buffering, and immobilization of microbial cells. If used on the treated effluents, suitably modified biochar could efficiently adsorb nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can later be used as a nutrient-enriched material for soil remediation. When used in the activated sludge treatment process, biochar could play a role for improving the treatment and settling ability of the sludge by adsorption of inhibitors and toxic compounds or provide a surface for immobilization of microbes. Addition of biochar in the biological system could eventually help to improve the soil amendment properties of the biosolid as well. As interest grows in the use of biochar in soil applications, its use in wastewater treatment could expand the value chain and create additional economic benefits [66]. The following section will discuss the role of biochar for various applications in the wastewater treatment plant.

### **3.1 Organic pollutant removal**

In recent years, significant amount of research has been done to examine the application of biochar for removal of various organic compounds from water, which includes agrochemicals, antibiotics/drugs, polycyclic aromatic

**227**

**Figure 2.**

*Biochar-Assisted Wastewater Treatment and Waste Valorization*

hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds or (VOCs), cationic aromatic dyes [67–70]. Similarly, removal of organic compounds present in specific waste streams such as estrogen compounds in animal manure and sewage, inhibitory compounds of biomass degradation (furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, phenolic compounds), and toxic organic compounds in landfill leachate has been studied using biochar [71, 72]. **Figure 2** schematically shows different interactions of the

Biochar produced at higher pyrolysis temperature is found better for removal of nonpolar organic compounds due to higher surface area and microporosity [30, 73]. In contrast, biochar produced at a temperature below 500°C contains more O- and H-containing functional groups; thus, they are likely to have a high affinity to polar organic compounds [26]. For example, rice husk and soybean-derived biochar (600–700°C) facilitates removal of nonpolar carbofuran (pesticide) and trichloromethylene (VOC) from contaminated water [26]. Efficient removal of pyrimethanil and diesopropylatrazine (fungicide/pesticide) was observed with red-gum wood chips and broiler litter-derived biochar at temperature >700°C, whereas the same biochar at temperature <500°C was inefficient [74, 75]. On the other hand, removal of polar insecticide and herbicide like 1-naphthol, norflurazon, and fluridone was observed with biochar produced at <300°C, due to interaction of pollutant and the functional groups of biochar [76, 77]. Likewise, higher sorption of aromatic cationic dyes like methyl-violet and methyl-blue was observed with biochar containing more O- and H-functional groups (<400°C) but the mechanism was highly dependent on pH [70, 78]. The sorption of polar antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMZ) by hardwood/softwood-derived biochars (produced at 300–700°C) has pH-dependent

*Biochar interaction with organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater (adapted from Ahmad et al. [33]).*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92288*

organic pollutant with biochar.

### **Figure 1.**

*Use of biochar at different stages of wastewater treatment.*

*Biochar-Assisted Wastewater Treatment and Waste Valorization DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92288*

*Applications of Biochar for Environmental Safety*

wastewater treatment.

treatment plant.

**3.1 Organic pollutant removal**

Thus, the selection of biochar and modification methods for the application in wastewater treatment requires a considerable understanding of the biochar properties and mechanism by which it supports the treatment process at different stages of

Biochar could be used at different stages of wastewater treatment (**Figure 1**) to improve the treatment efficiency and recovery of value-added byproducts. Biochar application in wastewater treatment could be governed by the mechanism of adsorption, buffering, and immobilization of microbial cells. If used on the treated effluents, suitably modified biochar could efficiently adsorb nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, which can later be used as a nutrient-enriched material for soil remediation. When used in the activated sludge treatment process, biochar could play a role for improving the treatment and settling ability of the sludge by adsorption of inhibitors and toxic compounds or provide a surface for immobilization of microbes. Addition of biochar in the biological system could eventually help to improve the soil amendment properties of the biosolid as well. As interest grows in the use of biochar in soil applications, its use in wastewater treatment could expand the value chain and create additional economic benefits [66]. The following section will discuss the role of biochar for various applications in the wastewater

In recent years, significant amount of research has been done to examine the application of biochar for removal of various organic compounds from water, which includes agrochemicals, antibiotics/drugs, polycyclic aromatic

**3. Role of biochar use in wastewater treatment process**

**226**

**Figure 1.**

*Use of biochar at different stages of wastewater treatment.*

hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds or (VOCs), cationic aromatic dyes [67–70]. Similarly, removal of organic compounds present in specific waste streams such as estrogen compounds in animal manure and sewage, inhibitory compounds of biomass degradation (furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, phenolic compounds), and toxic organic compounds in landfill leachate has been studied using biochar [71, 72]. **Figure 2** schematically shows different interactions of the organic pollutant with biochar.

Biochar produced at higher pyrolysis temperature is found better for removal of nonpolar organic compounds due to higher surface area and microporosity [30, 73]. In contrast, biochar produced at a temperature below 500°C contains more O- and H-containing functional groups; thus, they are likely to have a high affinity to polar organic compounds [26]. For example, rice husk and soybean-derived biochar (600–700°C) facilitates removal of nonpolar carbofuran (pesticide) and trichloromethylene (VOC) from contaminated water [26]. Efficient removal of pyrimethanil and diesopropylatrazine (fungicide/pesticide) was observed with red-gum wood chips and broiler litter-derived biochar at temperature >700°C, whereas the same biochar at temperature <500°C was inefficient [74, 75]. On the other hand, removal of polar insecticide and herbicide like 1-naphthol, norflurazon, and fluridone was observed with biochar produced at <300°C, due to interaction of pollutant and the functional groups of biochar [76, 77]. Likewise, higher sorption of aromatic cationic dyes like methyl-violet and methyl-blue was observed with biochar containing more O- and H-functional groups (<400°C) but the mechanism was highly dependent on pH [70, 78]. The sorption of polar antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMZ) by hardwood/softwood-derived biochars (produced at 300–700°C) has pH-dependent

### **Figure 2.**

*Biochar interaction with organic and inorganic compounds in wastewater (adapted from Ahmad et al. [33]).*

interactions [79]. It can be said that pH is the most important factor for biochar interactions and removal of polar organic pollutants.

## **3.2 Inorganic pollutant removal**

Inorganic pollutant in wastewater includes heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg, Fe, Zn, and As ions) and compounds like nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), ammonium (NH4), phosphorus (P), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that cause significant risk to public health and environment [80]. Biochar produced at lower pyrolysis temperature (<500°C) has properties that are better suited for removal of inorganic compounds. The chemical composition and the morphological structure play an important role in the sorption nature of biochar [81]. **Figure 2** summarizes the interaction methods for inorganic pollutant and biochar.

### *3.2.1 Heavy metals*

Biochar with high organic carbon content (at non-carbonized fraction), specific porous structure, and numerous functional groups interacts with heavy metals in many ways [82]. The sorption of heavy metals by biochar is mainly by surface interaction through ion exchange and complexation between biochar functional groups (e.g., OH, COOH, R-OH) and heavy metal ions [83, 84], moreover formation of metal precipitates with inorganic constituents [83–85] and coordination of metal ions with π electrons (C〓C) of biochar [74]. The physiochemical properties of biochar affect the adsorption throughout its matrix and are dependent on pyrolysis temperature, feedstock type, pH, and application rate. Cu2+ showed high affinity toward COOH▬ and OH▬ groups of hardwood and crop-derived biochars with dependency on pH and feedstock types [86]. Similarly, sida hermaphrodita-, guayule shrub-, soybean straw-, and wheat straw-derived biochars were effective for removal of Cd2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ along with Cu2+ [87]. The higher efficiency of the above-mentioned biochar was due to high C and O contents, high O/C molar ratio, and polarity index, which were mainly regulated by pH [88, 89]. Alkaline biochars derived from various agricultural residues (e.g., soybean straw, corncob, cocoa husk, corn stover, switchgrass) and manure were efficient for Hg2+ removal. Animal manure-derived and cocoa husk biochar was highly effective for Hg2+ removal due to high sulfur (SH groups and sulfate) to precipitate 90% of Hg2+ as Hg(OH)2 or HgCl2 mainly through coprecipitation with anions (Cl, O, S) of biochar [73, 90].

For Cd2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, and Cu2+ dosage of biochar also affects the removal of heavy metals. The higher removal efficiency is observed with increasing biochar loading in the aqueous system, due to increased pH and surface area with biochar addition [54, 91].

## *3.2.2 Nitrogen and phosphorus*

The high surface charge density allows biochars to retain cations by cation exchange and the high surface area, internal porosity, and presence of both polar and nonpolar surface sites on biochar enable it to adsorb nutrients [92]. In the limited studies carried out without soil, biochar has shown the absorption NH4 −, NO3 <sup>−</sup>, and PO4 <sup>3</sup><sup>−</sup> despite the different charges and properties of these nutrients [93]. Some examples include digested sugar beet tailing biochar pyrolyzed at 600°C that adsorbed PO4 ions most likely in binding sites contained in colloidal and nano sized MgO particles on the biochar surface [94]. Also, orange peel biochars pyrolyzed between 250 and 700°C removed between 8 and 83% of phosphate from solution

**229**

biosolids.

**3.4 Anaerobic digestion**

*Biochar-Assisted Wastewater Treatment and Waste Valorization*

[95]. NH4 was adsorbed to biochars produced from rice husk [96] and a mixture of tree trunks and branches [97], albeit weakly, as the partitioning coefficients between water and biochar were low (Freundlich coefficients of 0.251 mg g<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>

One of the most utilized systems for treatment of municipal wastewater is biological treatment process like activated sludge system (ASS) because of its cost-effectiveness and comparatively more straightforward operation to advance systems. Activated sludge process is a suspended growth treatment where aerobic microorganism decomposes the organic matter in wastewater, which eventually settles as solids by gravity. Currently, increasing concerns are being raised about the presence of various micro-pollutants from pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), pesticides, disinfectants, and antiseptic in domestic and municipal wastewaters. These pollutants are alien to the biota in the system, and the conventional treatment process often leads to inadequate removal of these compounds. Correspondingly, discharge requirements are currently being stringent for protection of receiving waters from possible contamination and public health hazard. There have been several modifications and changes in the activated sludge system to address the problem. One such method is AS-PACT (Activated Sludge with Powdered Activated Carbon Treatment) where powdered activated carbon is added to the aeration basin of activated sludge system. The larger surface area of carbon provides various benefits including adsorption of toxic substances such as pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals, immobilization of bacteria, and increased sedimentation of activated sludge [99, 100]. Such system, however, requires a

Despite the benefits, the higher cost of activated carbon limits its use in municipal wastewater treatment [101]. The biochar could be a low-cost substitute to activated carbon [102], but its merits are less known. The addition of biochar to a biological treatment system, such as within the aeration tank, could result in increased process stability by (a) adsorption of inhibitors (heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon), (b) increasing the buffering capacity of the system, and (c) immobilization of microbial cells [103]. Limited studies done on the use of biochar in the aeration tank showed increased settling ability of activated sludge [104]. Dissolved organic matter in the biochar could also provide additional carbon to promote denitrification [105]. The availability of organic matter, however, depends on the type of biomass and pyrolysis conditions used for producing biochar. Furthermore, the cascading benefits of using biochar in activated sludge treatment could also be seen on anaerobic digestion of the sludge and in the final quality of the

In the case of anaerobic digestion, the addition of biochar has shown increases in the rate and amount of biogas production [106–108]. This is attributed to the buffering properties of biochar, promoting methanogenesis for higher biogas yield [109, 110]. Several studies have suggested increases in microbial metabolism and growth because of the support provided by the biochar [107, 111]. The biochar could also play a significant role in reducing the mobility or availability of the inhibitors like heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics, and other organic compounds by binding them in its porous structure and maintain proper microbial activity for the

<sup>−</sup> has been adsorbed to bamboo charcoal biochar in the concentration

).

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92288*

[98].

continuous makeup of fresh carbon [101].

Similarly, NO3

range of 0–10 mg L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>

**3.3 Activated sludge treatment**

[95]. NH4 was adsorbed to biochars produced from rice husk [96] and a mixture of tree trunks and branches [97], albeit weakly, as the partitioning coefficients between water and biochar were low (Freundlich coefficients of 0.251 mg g<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> ). Similarly, NO3 <sup>−</sup> has been adsorbed to bamboo charcoal biochar in the concentration range of 0–10 mg L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> [98].
