A critical review of the production and advanced utilization of biochar via selective pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.

Bioelectrocatalysis is an interdisciplinary research field combining biocatalysis and electrocatalysis via the utilization of materials derived from biological systems as catalysts to catalyze the redox reactions occurring at an electrode. Bioelectrocatalysis synergistically couples the merits of both biocatalysis and electrocatalysis. The advantages of biocatalysis include high activity, high selectivity, wide substrate scope, and mild reaction conditions. The advantages of electrocatalysis include the possible utilization of renewable electricity as an electron source and high energy conversion efficiency. These properties are integrated to achieve selective biosensing, efficient energy conversion, and the production of diverse products. This review seeks to systematically and comprehensively detail the fundamentals, analyze the existing problems, summarize the development status and applications, and look toward the future development directions of bioelectrocatalysis. First, the structure, function, and modification of bioelectrocatalysts are discussed. Second, the essentials of bioelectrocatalytic systems, including electron transfer mechanisms, electrode materials, and reaction medium, are described. Third, the application of bioelectrocatalysis in the fields of biosensors, fuel cells, solar cells, catalytic mechanism studies, and bioelectrosyntheses of high-value chemicals are systematically summarized. Finally, future developments and a perspective on bioelectrocatalysis are suggested.

Fundamentals, Applications, and Future Directions of Bioelectrocatalysis.

In the context of climate change and the circular economy, biochar has recently found many applications in various sectors as a versatile and recycled material. Here, we review application of biochar-based for carbon sink, covering agronomy, animal farming, anaerobic digestion, composting, environmental remediation, construction, and energy storage. The ultimate storage reservoirs for biochar are soils, civil infrastructure, and landfills. Biochar-based fertilisers, which combine traditional fertilisers with biochar as a nutrient carrier, are promising in agronomy. The use of biochar as a feed additive for animals shows benefits in terms of animal growth, gut microbiota, reduced enteric methane production, egg yield, and endo-toxicant mitigation. Biochar enhances anaerobic digestion operations, primarily for biogas generation and upgrading, performance and sustainability, and the mitigation of inhibitory impurities. In composts, biochar controls the release of greenhouse gases and enhances microbial activity. Co-composted biochar improves soil properties and enhances crop productivity. Pristine and engineered biochar can also be employed for water and soil remediation to remove pollutants. In construction, biochar can be added to cement or asphalt, thus conferring structural and functional advantages. Incorporating biochar in biocomposites improves insulation, electromagnetic radiation protection and moisture control. Finally, synthesising biochar-based materials for energy storage applications requires additional functionalisation. 

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Biochar for agronomy, animal farming, anaerobic digestion, composting, water treatment, soil remediation, construction, energy storage, and carbon sequestration: a review

The roles of co-composted biochar (COMBI) in improving soil quality, crop productivity, and toxic metal amelioration.

The ball-milling of carbon-based materials with nanoparticles is currently emerging as a promising cost-effective alternative method of producing nanocomposites with great surface characteristics. Biochar-based nanocomposites are effective in the adsorption of heavy metals, dyes and emerging organic contaminants in water and wastewater because of the combined benefits of biochar and nanoparticles. Contaminants of emerging concern are increasingly being detected in the environment and there is, therefore, an urgent need to develop nanotechnology-based multifunctional and highly efficient processes that can remove a wide range of these chemicalsmost of which are persistent and may bioaccumulate. To date, not many reviews are available on the use of the ball-milling method for engineering biochar-based nanocomposites. Ball milling (solid-state synthesis) is a process extensively used in industry to synthesize nanomaterials. Ball milling process produces small particle size as small as 10 microns, coupled with the advantages of continuous operation. Thus, this review article aims to provide an overview of the efficiencies of the ball-milled biochar-nanoparticle composite. Ball milling approach improves the physicochemical properties of biochar and biochar–nanoparticle composite such as total and micropore surface of biochar which in turns enhance their sorption abilities. Different adsorption mechanisms of biochar and modified biochar have been reported, which include physisorption, chemisorption, ion-exchange, pore-filling, hydrophobic effects and π-π electron donor-acceptor (π-π EDA) interactions.

Ball-milling synthesis of biochar and biochar–based nanocomposites and prospects for removal of emerging contaminants: A review

Biochar: Production, properties and emerging role as a support for enzyme immobilization

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: Challenges for developing countries.

Recent advances in energy efficient biological treatment of municipal wastewater

Bioremoval of toxic malachite green from water through simultaneous decolorization and degradation using laccase immobilized biochar.

Root symbiont arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous in soils of terrestrial ecosystems and play a major role in determining the soil structure dynamics. Glomalin related soil protein (GRSP) produced in the hyphal cell walls is a store house of carbon that influences aggregate formation, stabilization and contributes in soil carbon sequestration. In this work, the variation in the glomalin concentrations was studied across soil of temperate Himalayan regime, its potential role in carbon storage and soil aggregation under different cropping systems. Aggregate stability showed a positive correlation with soil organic carbon (r = 0.966; p

Deepshikha Pandey

Papers

Biochar: Production, properties and emerging role as a support for enzyme immobilization

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: Challenges for developing countries.

Recent advances in energy efficient biological treatment of municipal wastewater

Bioremoval of toxic malachite green from water through simultaneous decolorization and degradation using laccase immobilized biochar.

Role of glomalin in soil carbon storage and its variation across land uses in temperate Himalayan regime