Eco-friendly, stable, and high-performance biochar prepared by a twice-modification scheme: Saccharification of raw materials & thermal air oxidation of biochar

Organic pollutants, such as phenolic compounds, pose significant risks to both the environment and human health. While biochar is an effective adsorbent for removing these pollutants, its dissolved solid (DS) components can lead to the loss of functional groups, structural disintegration, unstable performance, and environmental issues. This study introduces a twice-modification scheme designed to produce a biochar (BC-M) that combines high stability with superior performance. The process begins with the preparation of a stable biochar from cellulase-treated lignocellulose. This precursor biochar is then subjected to thermal air oxidation to enhance its oxygen-containing functional groups, thereby improving its adsorption capabilities. A mathematical model was developed to explore the relationship between different thermal air oxidation conditions and the properties of BC-M, aiming to optimize both adsorption capacity and DS. The model's multi-objective optimization indicated the optimal modification conditions. Compared to unmodified biochar (BC-O), BC-M showed significant improvements: its specific surface area increased by 63.6%, pore volume by 139%, and functional groups by 50%–1271%. Notably, the DS of BC-M was reduced to just 1.08 mg/L, representing a 97.5% reduction from BC-O, with a minimal mass loss of only 0.78 ± 0.45% during modification. BC-M also demonstrated a remarkable enhancement in the adsorption of phenolic compounds, with a capacity 21%–2408% higher than BC-O. Furthermore, calculations indicated that BC-M could reduce carbon emissions by 0.70 t CO 2 /yr/t, outperforming activated carbon in this regard. This study offers valuable insights into biochar modification, providing a low-cost, high-stability, and high-efficiency alternative for environmental cleanup.