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Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential

Muhammad Junaid Orcid Logo, Stuart Cairns Orcid Logo, Iain Robertson Orcid Logo, Peter Holliman Orcid Logo

Water Research X, Volume: 31

Swansea University Authors: Muhammad Junaid Orcid Logo, Stuart Cairns Orcid Logo, Iain Robertson Orcid Logo, Peter Holliman Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.wroa.2026.100527

Abstract

Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are plastic particles ranging in size from < 1 µm to 5 mm, posing immense challenges owing to their ubiquitous and polydisperse nature, ecological and human health risks, and environmental remediation challenges. Biochar is a promising tool to remove legacy and emerging...

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Published in: Water Research X
ISSN: 2589-9147
Published: Elsevier BV 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71684
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Biochar is a promising tool to remove legacy and emerging environmental pollutants, including MNPs, from aquatic and terrestrial matrices. This review systematically collates studies on pristine and modified biochar in terms of their potential to remove MNPs from laboratory and environmental samples (freshwater, seawater, wastewater, and soil), factors affecting MNP-biochar interactions, adsorption mechanisms, biochar regeneration methods, and research gaps. Our data analyses showed that the modified biochar (8.25&#x2013;897.7 m2/g, p = 0.035) exhibited significantly higher surface area than that of pristine biochar (1.30&#x2013;540.36 m2/g). Similarly, the adsorption capacity of modified biochar (10.92&#x2013;1723 mg/g, p = 0.030) was significantly higher than that of the pristine biochar (0.56&#x2013;80.3 mg/g). Pearson correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between surface area and pyrolysis temperature for pristine biochar (r = 0.81, p &lt; 0.05); and adsorption capacity showed a significantly positive correlation with the size of MNPs (r = 0.78, p &lt; 0.05) for modified biochar. Further, properties of MNPs, biochar, and environmental conditions were the major factors affecting the MNP-biochar interface, plastic removal, and biochar regeneration. Removal mechanisms mainly involved pore filling, physical trapping, electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and &#x3C0;-&#x3C0; interactions. Depending on the type of MNPs and biochar, either single or multiple removal mechanisms can be involved in the adsorption of MNPs on biochar. Pyrolysis, ultrasonication, chemical methods, and hydrothermal degradation were mainly used individually or in combination to regenerate biochar with high reuse efficiencies. Lack of field studies; polymer mixture and environmental MNP removal; aging of biochar and MNPs; optimization and sustainable modification and regeneration of biochar; MNP-biochar-specific interaction mechanisms; scale-up applications; and fate of spent MNP-biochar complexes are the major research gaps and future research perspectives.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Water Research X</journal><volume>31</volume><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher>Elsevier BV</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint>2589-9147</issnPrint><issnElectronic/><keywords>Magnetic biochar; Micro(nano)plastics; Adsorption mechanisms; Biochar regeneration; Plastic degradation</keywords><publishedDay>1</publishedDay><publishedMonth>5</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2026</publishedYear><publishedDate>2026-05-01</publishedDate><doi>10.1016/j.wroa.2026.100527</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Biosciences Geography and Physics School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>BGPS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>Other</apcterm><funders>Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2024&#x2013;221)</funders><projectreference/><lastEdited>2026-04-24T10:43:08.1700891</lastEdited><Created>2026-03-30T08:25:03.9045706</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Muhammad</firstname><surname>Junaid</surname><orcid>0000-0002-0675-5864</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Stuart</firstname><surname>Cairns</surname><orcid>0000-0002-8417-0239</orcid><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Iain</firstname><surname>Robertson</surname><orcid>0000-0001-7174-4523</orcid><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Peter</firstname><surname>Holliman</surname><orcid>0000-0002-9911-8513</orcid><order>4</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>71684__36581__7c2235f7bbb042fc84dd0a89ad3f4392.pdf</filename><originalFilename>71684.VoR.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2026-04-24T10:41:07.0046560</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>9697519</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>&#xA9; 2026 The Authors. 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spelling 2026-04-24T10:43:08.1700891 v2 71684 2026-03-30 Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential b745b3d1e3071ed99eae3e882fde4375 0000-0002-0675-5864 Muhammad Junaid Muhammad Junaid true false 3dd30d7102f5527fa2461e8930f9e40a 0000-0002-8417-0239 Stuart Cairns Stuart Cairns true false ef8912c57e0140e9ecb2a69b7e34467e 0000-0001-7174-4523 Iain Robertson Iain Robertson true false c8f52394d776279c9c690dc26066ddf9 0000-0002-9911-8513 Peter Holliman Peter Holliman true false 2026-03-30 BGPS Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are plastic particles ranging in size from < 1 µm to 5 mm, posing immense challenges owing to their ubiquitous and polydisperse nature, ecological and human health risks, and environmental remediation challenges. Biochar is a promising tool to remove legacy and emerging environmental pollutants, including MNPs, from aquatic and terrestrial matrices. This review systematically collates studies on pristine and modified biochar in terms of their potential to remove MNPs from laboratory and environmental samples (freshwater, seawater, wastewater, and soil), factors affecting MNP-biochar interactions, adsorption mechanisms, biochar regeneration methods, and research gaps. Our data analyses showed that the modified biochar (8.25–897.7 m2/g, p = 0.035) exhibited significantly higher surface area than that of pristine biochar (1.30–540.36 m2/g). Similarly, the adsorption capacity of modified biochar (10.92–1723 mg/g, p = 0.030) was significantly higher than that of the pristine biochar (0.56–80.3 mg/g). Pearson correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between surface area and pyrolysis temperature for pristine biochar (r = 0.81, p < 0.05); and adsorption capacity showed a significantly positive correlation with the size of MNPs (r = 0.78, p < 0.05) for modified biochar. Further, properties of MNPs, biochar, and environmental conditions were the major factors affecting the MNP-biochar interface, plastic removal, and biochar regeneration. Removal mechanisms mainly involved pore filling, physical trapping, electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. Depending on the type of MNPs and biochar, either single or multiple removal mechanisms can be involved in the adsorption of MNPs on biochar. Pyrolysis, ultrasonication, chemical methods, and hydrothermal degradation were mainly used individually or in combination to regenerate biochar with high reuse efficiencies. Lack of field studies; polymer mixture and environmental MNP removal; aging of biochar and MNPs; optimization and sustainable modification and regeneration of biochar; MNP-biochar-specific interaction mechanisms; scale-up applications; and fate of spent MNP-biochar complexes are the major research gaps and future research perspectives. Journal Article Water Research X 31 Elsevier BV 2589-9147 Magnetic biochar; Micro(nano)plastics; Adsorption mechanisms; Biochar regeneration; Plastic degradation 1 5 2026 2026-05-01 10.1016/j.wroa.2026.100527 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences Geography and Physics School COLLEGE CODE BGPS Swansea University Other Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2024–221) 2026-04-24T10:43:08.1700891 2026-03-30T08:25:03.9045706 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography Muhammad Junaid 0000-0002-0675-5864 1 Stuart Cairns 0000-0002-8417-0239 2 Iain Robertson 0000-0001-7174-4523 3 Peter Holliman 0000-0002-9911-8513 4 71684__36581__7c2235f7bbb042fc84dd0a89ad3f4392.pdf 71684.VoR.pdf 2026-04-24T10:41:07.0046560 Output 9697519 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2026 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
title Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
spellingShingle Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
Muhammad Junaid
Stuart Cairns
Iain Robertson
Peter Holliman
title_short Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
title_full Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
title_fullStr Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
title_full_unstemmed Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
title_sort Pristine and modified biochar comparison for environmental micro(nano)plastic removal: adsorption dynamics, influencing factors, mechanisms, and regeneration potential
author_id_str_mv b745b3d1e3071ed99eae3e882fde4375
3dd30d7102f5527fa2461e8930f9e40a
ef8912c57e0140e9ecb2a69b7e34467e
c8f52394d776279c9c690dc26066ddf9
author_id_fullname_str_mv b745b3d1e3071ed99eae3e882fde4375_***_Muhammad Junaid
3dd30d7102f5527fa2461e8930f9e40a_***_Stuart Cairns
ef8912c57e0140e9ecb2a69b7e34467e_***_Iain Robertson
c8f52394d776279c9c690dc26066ddf9_***_Peter Holliman
author Muhammad Junaid
Stuart Cairns
Iain Robertson
Peter Holliman
author2 Muhammad Junaid
Stuart Cairns
Iain Robertson
Peter Holliman
format Journal article
container_title Water Research X
container_volume 31
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 2589-9147
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.wroa.2026.100527
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography
document_store_str 1
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description Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are plastic particles ranging in size from < 1 µm to 5 mm, posing immense challenges owing to their ubiquitous and polydisperse nature, ecological and human health risks, and environmental remediation challenges. Biochar is a promising tool to remove legacy and emerging environmental pollutants, including MNPs, from aquatic and terrestrial matrices. This review systematically collates studies on pristine and modified biochar in terms of their potential to remove MNPs from laboratory and environmental samples (freshwater, seawater, wastewater, and soil), factors affecting MNP-biochar interactions, adsorption mechanisms, biochar regeneration methods, and research gaps. Our data analyses showed that the modified biochar (8.25–897.7 m2/g, p = 0.035) exhibited significantly higher surface area than that of pristine biochar (1.30–540.36 m2/g). Similarly, the adsorption capacity of modified biochar (10.92–1723 mg/g, p = 0.030) was significantly higher than that of the pristine biochar (0.56–80.3 mg/g). Pearson correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between surface area and pyrolysis temperature for pristine biochar (r = 0.81, p < 0.05); and adsorption capacity showed a significantly positive correlation with the size of MNPs (r = 0.78, p < 0.05) for modified biochar. Further, properties of MNPs, biochar, and environmental conditions were the major factors affecting the MNP-biochar interface, plastic removal, and biochar regeneration. Removal mechanisms mainly involved pore filling, physical trapping, electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. Depending on the type of MNPs and biochar, either single or multiple removal mechanisms can be involved in the adsorption of MNPs on biochar. Pyrolysis, ultrasonication, chemical methods, and hydrothermal degradation were mainly used individually or in combination to regenerate biochar with high reuse efficiencies. Lack of field studies; polymer mixture and environmental MNP removal; aging of biochar and MNPs; optimization and sustainable modification and regeneration of biochar; MNP-biochar-specific interaction mechanisms; scale-up applications; and fate of spent MNP-biochar complexes are the major research gaps and future research perspectives.
published_date 2026-05-01T07:56:39Z
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