Biochar is a stable carbon-rich by-product synthesized through pyrolysis/carbonization of plant- and animal-
based biomass. An increasing interest in the beneficial application of biochar has opened up multidisciplinary
areas for science and engineering. The potential biochar applications include carbon
sequestration, soil fertility improvement, pollution remediation, and agricultural by-product/waste recycling.
The key parameters controlling its properties include pyrolysis temperature, residence time, heat
transfer rate, and feedstock type. The efficacy of biochar in contaminant management depends on its surface
area, pore size distribution and ion-exchange capacity. Physical architecture and molecular composition
of biochar could be critical for practical application to soil and water. Relatively high pyrolysis
temperatures generally produce biochars that are effective in the sorption of organic contaminants by
increasing surface area, microporosity, and hydrophobicity; whereas the biochars obtained at low temperatures
are more suitable for removing inorganic/polar organic contaminants by oxygen-containing
functional groups, electrostatic attraction, and precipitation. However, due to complexity of soil–water
system in nature, the effectiveness of biochars on remediation of various organic/inorganic contaminants
is still uncertain. In this review, a succinct overview of current biochar use as a sorbent for contaminant
management in soil and water is summarized and discussed.