Efficient utilization of biochar for water remediation and soil amendment - towards a circular economy

生物炭是一种吸附材料，是生物质热化学转化的主要固体产物。它在各种环境应用中都有用途，包括去除水中的污染物和土壤改良剂。根据2015年以来13%的年增长率，到2025年全球生物炭市场的价值将达到33亿美元。水体富营养化是水体中营养物质过剩引起的一个重要环境问题。富营养化的一个常见原因是由于化肥的浸出而导致地下水被磷酸盐和硝酸盐污染。生物炭可以吸附水中多余的磷酸盐和硝酸盐，留下的废生物炭适合用作缓释肥料——既可以清洁水，又可以去除主要污染源。目前已经进行了多项研究，其中使用各种化学活化的生物炭来去除水中的磷酸盐和硝酸盐，然后用作缓释肥料。虽然目前的研究提供了这一过程可能成功的证据，但这项研究主要是在实验室规模上进行的，而且主要是在几种不同离子的简单溶液中进行的。使用实验方法和计算模型，该项目将评估目前现有的生物炭活化方法在实际富营养化水和植物床上的性能。在此之后，该项目将致力于创建一种新的新型生物炭活化方法，与目前文献中可用的活化方法相比，该方法具有更好的性能。这将允许一个更有效的过程，能够按比例扩大到现实生活中使用。

Biochar is a sorbent material and the main solid product available from the thermochemical conversion of biomass. It has uses in a variety of environmental applications including the removal of pollutants from water and soil amendment. The global biochar market is set to reach a value of USD3.3 billion by 2025 based on its annual growth rate of 13% since 2015. Eutrophication in water bodies is a significant environmental problem cause by excess nutrients in water. One common cause of eutrophication is run off ground water contaminated with phosphate and nitrate from the leaching of chemical fertilisers. Biochar can adsorb excess phosphate and nitrate from water leaving a spent biochar which is suitable for use as a slow-release fertiliser - both cleaning water and removing a major pollution source. Currently multiple studies have been carried out in which various chemically activated biochars have been used for removal of phosphate and nitrate from water, then used as a slow-release fertiliser. While current research provides evidence this process could be successful, the research has been carried out at lab scale and predominantly in simple solutions of few different ions. Using experimental methods and computational modelling, this project will assess the performance of currently existing biochar activation methods in real eutrophic water and plant beds at SustainableThinkingScotland site. Following this, the project will aim to create a new novel biochar activation method with improved performance compared to current activation methods currently available in literature. This will allow for a more efficient process capable of being scaled up for real life use.