Removal of the antibiotics from wastewater by biochar

Antibiotics are drugs that are used to treat infections caused by microorganisms. Overusage and overexploitation of antibiotics by industries have led to its accumulation in the environment. This has severely impacted the environment and has been the major reason for the evolution of superbugs. Despite employing several strategies, removal of antibiotics from these contaminated sites has become a Gordian knot. Eco-friendly approaches need to be applied to mitigate this issue. Biochar, produced from the pyrolysis of biomass, may hold the key to curb this issue. Literature has indicated the use of biochar as a suitable method to tackle the problem due to its high selective adsorption capacity and large surface-to-volume ratio. Use of biochars offer several advantages in environmental and economic aspects. The biochars used for such treatments are often produced from waste agricultural materials and therefore is quite an affordable approach. Also, biochars are degradable and environment friendly. This chapter collates the neoteric data on the consumption of antibiotics, the environmental contamination, and the removal of antibiotics using biochar (BC)-based materials and on the new emerging approaches of BC modification and BC composites in relation to the antibiotic removal from water.