Huang, et al (2024) Comparison of arsenic remediation effects between selenium-rich biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More and selenium-modified biochar. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2024.113488

Arsenic pollution is a major environmental concern due to its high toxicity. Biochar is increasingly used for arsenic remediation because of its adsorptive properties. However, raw biochar’s effectiveness is limited, prompting the development of modified biochar variants. Selenium, known for its beneficial effects on plant growth and its competitive interaction with arsenic, is a promising modification material.

Researchers compared selenium-modified biochar and selenium-rich biochar, evaluating their production, properties, and arsenic adsorption mechanisms. Both types showed comparable effectiveness in arsenic adsorption and plant growth promotion. The theoretical maximum adsorption capacities for arsenic were 49.87 mg/g for raw biochar, 55.89 mg/g for selenium-modified biochar, and 59.00 mg/g for selenium-rich biochar, indicating superior performance of selenium-enriched variants.

Plant experiments revealed significant enhancements in growth and arsenic adsorption for both selenium-modified and selenium-rich biochar, with improvements of 24.68% and 24.35% in growth promotion, and 59.50% and 64.64% in adsorption efficiency, respectively. However, the production of selenium-modified biochar is cost-prohibitive, being over 83% more expensive than selenium-rich biochar.

The study concludes that selenium-rich biochar, derived from selenium-enriched straw, offers similar remediation benefits as selenium-modified biochar but at a significantly lower cost. This makes selenium-rich biochar a highly promising material for effective and economical arsenic remediation.