Environmental context. As a low-cost adsorption material with good biocompatibility and high adsorption efficiency, biochar is widely used to treat contaminants in water and soil environments. However, due to its low adsorption capacity and narrow adsorption range, it is necessary to modify biochar to improve its adsorption performance. This review describes the three major biochar modification methods and reviews their adsorption effects on different contaminants, then makes recommendations and suggestions for future development of biochar.

Environmental context. Novel insight into BEOM_cc is provided by fractionation and FTICR MS. Sub-fractions of biochar were extracted due to the chemical properties of the organic solvents. BEOM_cc has a carbon fixation effect, and so is likely beneficial to the growth of plants and microorganisms.

Environmental context. Lvliang, one of the main cities on the Fenwei Plain, is a key atmospheric pollution prevention area in China. Identification of sources of aerosols is essential to improving environmental air quality in this region. The quantitative source apportionment of carbonaceous aerosols performed in this study provides a better understanding of their sources and implications for climate and air-quality management policies in the Fenwei plain.