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2025 Vol.30, Issue 6 Preview Page
Research Trends on Biochar Application for Heavy Metal Remediation in Soil

토양 내 중금속 저감을 위한 바이오차 활용 연구 동향

Jeong Min Heo1
,
Eun Hea Jho12*
허정민 1
,
조은혜 12*
1Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
2Department of Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
1전남대학교 농화학과
2전남대학교 농생명화학과
*Corresponding Author
31 December 2025. pp. 12-25
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Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils poses a serious threat to ecosystem stability and human health. Biochar, with its porous structure and diverse surface functional groups, has great potential for adsorbing and immobilizing heavy metals in soils. This review summarizes recent studies on biochar-based remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils and identifies key factors influencing its efficiency. A review of 355 studies published between 2009 and September 2025 revealed that feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, and surface modification were identified as the main determinants of biochar performance in soil. Most previous studies have focused on single-metal systems, while limited research has addressed complex contamination where heavy metals coexist with pollutants such as pesticides, antibiotics, and microplastics. To advance biochar as a sustainable remediation technology, future research should elucidate removal mechanisms under co-contaminated conditions, improve efficiency through surface modification, and examine interactions with soil microorganisms and plants. Long-term stability assessments and economic evaluations are also required to verify field applicability. These efforts will promote the practical use of biochar as an environmentally friendly and sustainable soil remediation technology.

Keywords
Biochar
Heavy metals
Soil remediation
Co-contamination
Sustainable technology
References

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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국지하수토양환경학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
  • Journal Title(Ko) :지하수토양환경
  • Volume : 30
  • No :6
  • Pages :12-25
  • Received Date : 2025-10-07
  • Revised Date : 2025-10-20
  • Accepted Date : 2025-11-10
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7857/JSGE.2025.30.6.012
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