Issue 12, 2023

Biofilters and bioretention systems: the role of biochar in the blue-green city concept for stormwater management

Abstract

The main aim of the blue-green city concept is the reduction of the adverse impacts of stormwater by recreating the natural water cycle with the aid of green infrastructure in major metropolitan areas worldwide. The key types of blue-green infrastructures (BGIs) are constructed wetlands, water retention basins, green roofs, and permeable pavements. Bioretention systems are made of plants and a layer of mulch, and soil where both plants and soil medium reduce the runoff volume and contaminant concentration in the stormwater. Recently, biochar has been applied to bioretention systems due to its porous structure, which facilitates the adsorption of inorganic and organic pollutants. However, most of these were laboratory studies with synthetic or semi-synthetic stormwater and thus had little ecological parallel and resemblance with real-life (field) situations. Therefore, we critically discuss the use of biochar and modified biochar-incorporated bioretention systems constructed in both laboratories and pilot scales in metropolitan areas and the efficiency improvement of the BGIs. Most reviews in the existing literature mainly focused on the BGI types, major components in bioretention systems, and their functionality in stormwater management. However, a systematic analysis of biochar and modified biochar incorporated bioretention systems in both laboratories and pilot scales is scarce. Biochar-incorporated bioretention systems significantly reduced the effluent volume and contaminant concentration in stormwater. Additionally, biochar supports the growth of plants in the bioretention system and adds aesthetic value to the surrounding area. However, the efficiency of the bioretention system varies with several factors, such as the composition of the filter medium, properties of stormwater, plant types, and different environmental aspects. Hence, additional field-based research is required to estimate the benefits of biochar in the bioretention systems' efficiency.

Graphical abstract: Biofilters and bioretention systems: the role of biochar in the blue-green city concept for stormwater management

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Critical Review
Submitted
28 Jän 2023
Accepted
21 Jun 2023
First published
14 Jul 2023

Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2023,9, 3103-3119

Biofilters and bioretention systems: the role of biochar in the blue-green city concept for stormwater management

K. S. D. Premarathna, J. K. Biswas, M. Kumar, S. Varjani, B. Mickan, P. L. Show, S. Y. Lau, L. A. B. Novo and M. Vithanage, Environ. Sci.: Water Res. Technol., 2023, 9, 3103 DOI: 10.1039/D3EW00054K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements