Recent study published in the journal Environmental Geochemistry and Health, authors, Neenu P. Raju, Meenakshi Verma, Pooja Singh, and Manikprabhu Dhanorkar evaluate the potential of using untapped biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More for environmental protection. The research provides a direct comparison between biochar derived from unsorted garden waste and cashew nut shells to determine their effectiveness as adsorbents for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The study emphasizes that the unchecked consumption of antibiotics leads to persistent residues in the environment, which fuels the crisis of antimicrobial resistance. By transforming common solid waste into value-added products through pyrolysisPyrolysis is a thermochemical process that converts waste biomass into bio-char, bio-oil, and pyro-gas. It offers significant advantages in waste valorization, turning low-value materials into economically valuable resources. Its versatility allows for tailored products based on operational conditions, presenting itself as a cost-effective and efficient More, the researchers aim to create a circular bioeconomy that addresses both waste management and water pollution simultaneously.

The major challenge addressed in this research is the environmental persistence of active pharmaceutical residues, specifically ciprofloxacin, which has a half-life of more than 60 days. Traditional wastewater treatment systems often fail to completely remove these pharmaceuticals, allowing them to exert selective pressure on native microbial populations. This leads to the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes that can circulate back to humans through the food chain and water reuse. Furthermore, the study tackles the significant burden of solid waste management in populous countries like India, where South Asia alone generates 334 million tons of waste annually. Much of this waste is organic and often ends up in open dumps or landfills due to a lack of robust segregation systems and limited processing resources.

To resolve these issues, the researchers utilized a temperature-controlled process called pyrolysis to convert washed and dried garden waste and cashew nut shells into carbon-rich biochar. They tested various production temperatures between 500 and 700 degrees Celsius and different residence times to find the optimal material for water treatment. The scientists determined that garden waste processed at 700 degrees Celsius for two hours was the most effective candidate because of its superior thermal stability and high fixed carbon content of 76.37 percent. This specific biochar possesses an alkaline nature and a porous surface morphology characterized by a surface area of 59.11 square meters per gram. The wide pores and complex network of functional groups like hydroxyl and carbonyl bonds allow the biochar to interact with antibiotic molecules through multiple chemical mechanisms, including hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions.

The outcomes of the research demonstrate that garden waste biochar is a high-performance, low-cost solution for mitigating antibiotic pollution. Under optimized batch conditions using 50 milligrams of the material, the system achieved an 85.4 percent removal efficiency of ciprofloxacin at a neutral pHpH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. A pH of 7 is neutral, while lower pH values indicate acidity and higher values indicate alkalinity. Biochars are normally alkaline and can influence soil pH, often increasing it, which can be beneficial More within 285 minutes. Detailed modeling revealed that the removal process is primarily governed by multilayer chemisorption on a heterogeneous surface, which is more effective than the results seen from cashew nut shell biochar. This study marks the first report of using unsorted garden waste as a sustainable adsorbent for antibiotics, providing a baseline for scaling up this technology in wastewater treatment plants. Ultimately, this approach offers a robust and climate-resilient tool for resource-constrained regions to manage waste overload while combatting the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Source: Raju, P., Verma, M., Singh, N. P., & Dhanorkar, M. (2026). Antibiotic mitigation of aqueous systems using untapped potential of unsorted garden waste-derived biochar: performance evaluation and mechanistic insights. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 48, 100.