Recent advances in agricultural biotechnology and sustainable farming have drawn attention to biochar as a multifunctional material for environmental remediation. Among its emerging applications, biochar has demonstrated remarkable potential in wastewater treatment, particularly as an efficient and sustainable adsorbent for pollutant removal. Numerous studies over the past decades have highlighted its effectiveness in eliminating a wide range of contaminants. This efficiency is mainly due to its abundant feedstock availability, simple production processes, and favorable surface and structural properties. This review summarizes current developments in biochar use for wastewater treatment, emphasizing its adsorption capabilities and the underlying mechanisms responsible for pollutant removal. Key modification strategies, physical, chemical, and biological, are discussed in detail to illustrate how biochar performance can be optimized for specific treatment goals. Furthermore, the prospects of biochar-based technologies are explored, with a focus on their role in addressing both inorganic and organic pollutants. This review also describes the use of biochar in adsorbing metals, organic contaminants, and industrial waste. The integration of biochar into sustainable water management systems presents a promising pathway toward achieving long-term environmental and agricultural resilience.

Recent biotechnological advancements in agro-technology and sustainable farming practices have led scientific attention in biochar as a multifunctional material for environmental remediation. Among its emerging applications, biochar has demonstrated remarkable potential in wastewater treatment, particularly as an efficient and sustainable adsorbent for pollutant removal. Numerous studies over the past decades have highlighted its effectiveness in eliminating a wide range of contaminants. This efficiency is mainly due to its abundant feedstock availability, simple production processes, and favorable surface and structural properties. This review summarizes current developments in biochar utilization for wastewater treatment, emphasizing its adsorption capabilities and the underlying mechanisms responsible for pollutant removal. Key modification strategies physical, chemical, and biological are discussed in detail to illustrate how biochar performance can be optimized for specific treatment goals. Furthermore, the future prospects of biochar-based technologies are explored, with a focus on their role in addressing both inorganic and organic pollutants. The integration of biochar into sustainable water management systems presents a promising pathway toward achieving long-term environmental and agricultural resilience.

This review paper critically analyzes the latest advancements in sustainable chemical processes and concentrates on three key areas, which are catalysis, integration of renewable energy sources, and technologies to reduce water consumption. Catalysis is very crucial in attaining an efficient transformation in chemical reactions as new and exciting developments related to non-precious metal catalysts and biocatalysis are improving more sustainable, lower-cost pathways while minimizing damaging byproducts. There is a significant need for renewable energy sources, particularly in solar, wind, and biomass, in the production of chemicals to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, decrease carbon emissions, and pave the way for a sustainable energy future. On the other hand, water-saving technologies, particularly closed-loop water systems and waterless chemical processes, are likewise crucial to mitigate increasing shortages in access to clean water, reducing the water footprint associated with industrial operations. Finally, the paper reviews barriers and opportunities to scale up these technologies into economically viable, technically feasible operations requiring appropriate policy support. It seeks to point out continued research and technological development and interindustry cooperation in an effort to move beyond these hurdles toward a more sustainable and resource-efficient chemical industry. Through the integration of catalysis, renewable energy, and water reduction strategies, the chemical industry has the potential to substantially diminish its environmental impact and advance global sustainability objectives.