Alawa et al., in Chemosphere, tackle the growing problem of antibiotic pollution in water bodies using a novel approach: transforming agricultural waste into a water purification tool. The researchers developed a 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 adsorbent from wheat straw, a common agricultural residue often burned causing significant air pollution. This process not only provides a solution for water treatment but also offers a sustainable way to manage agricultural waste, reducing air pollution.  

The study involved converting wheat straw into biochar through calcination and chemical activation, creating two types of adsorbents: CWS (calcined wheat straw) and AWS (activated wheat straw). These adsorbents were then tested for their ability to remove ciprofloxacin (CIP), a widely used antibiotic, from water.  

The results were impressive: both CWS and AWS showed high efficiency in removing CIP, achieving up to 90% and 98% removal, respectively, under optimized conditions. The study also delved into the adsorption mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics, providing a deeper understanding of the process.  

This research highlights the potential of biochar derived from agricultural waste as a sustainable and effective solution for combating antibiotic pollution in water. The dual benefit of reducing both water and air pollution makes this approach particularly appealing.

Source: Alawa, B., Singh, S., Chakma, S., Kishor, R., Lundborg, C. S., & Diwan, V. (2025). Development of novel biochar adsorbent using agricultural waste 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 enhanced removal of ciprofloxacin from water: Insights into the isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic analysis. Chemosphere, 375, 144252.