TY - JOUR

T1 - Engineered/designer hierarchical porous carbon materials for organic pollutant removal from water and wastewater

T2 - A critical review

AU - Zhang, Mengxue

AU - Igalavithana, Avanthi Deshani

AU - Xu, Liheng

AU - Sarkar, Binoy

AU - Hou, Deyi

AU - Zhang, Ming

AU - Bhatnagar, Amit

AU - Cho, Won Chul

AU - Ok, Yong Sik

N1 - This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology on 24/06/2020, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10643389.2020.1780102

PY - 2021/10/31

Y1 - 2021/10/31

N2 - Hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) materials have found advanced applications in energy storage, adsorption, and catalysis in recent years. The HPC can be synthesized from a vast range of inexpensive carbon precursors, and contain unique structural features, such as nano-scale dimension, high porosity, high surface area, and tunable pore surfaces. These materials hold immense potential for removing contaminants from water and wastewater. However, this area is severely under-explored yet. In this review, we have discussed the recent advances of synthesis, modification, and application of HPC for the removal of pollutants from water, especially focusing on organic pollutants. Owing to their intrinsic hydrophobic nature and unique interconnected porous structure, HPC demonstrates a high affinity to hydrophobic organic contaminants, which can be enhanced many folds by target-specific chemical activation. Successful high-performance removal of contaminants by pristine and modified HPC includes plastic-derived (e.g. bisphenol A), pharmaceutical (e.g. antibiotics), dye (e.g. methylene blue) and pesticide micro-pollutants. Future research is warranted to find optimal and effective HPC synthesis and modification methods for further improving their ability to remove aqueous organic contaminants as a low-cost and energy-inexpensive remediation technology.

AB - Hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) materials have found advanced applications in energy storage, adsorption, and catalysis in recent years. The HPC can be synthesized from a vast range of inexpensive carbon precursors, and contain unique structural features, such as nano-scale dimension, high porosity, high surface area, and tunable pore surfaces. These materials hold immense potential for removing contaminants from water and wastewater. However, this area is severely under-explored yet. In this review, we have discussed the recent advances of synthesis, modification, and application of HPC for the removal of pollutants from water, especially focusing on organic pollutants. Owing to their intrinsic hydrophobic nature and unique interconnected porous structure, HPC demonstrates a high affinity to hydrophobic organic contaminants, which can be enhanced many folds by target-specific chemical activation. Successful high-performance removal of contaminants by pristine and modified HPC includes plastic-derived (e.g. bisphenol A), pharmaceutical (e.g. antibiotics), dye (e.g. methylene blue) and pesticide micro-pollutants. Future research is warranted to find optimal and effective HPC synthesis and modification methods for further improving their ability to remove aqueous organic contaminants as a low-cost and energy-inexpensive remediation technology.

KW - Green and sustainable remediation

KW - clean water and sanitation

KW - electrode material

U2 - 10.1080/10643389.2020.1780102

DO - 10.1080/10643389.2020.1780102

M3 - Journal article

VL - 51

SP - 2295

EP - 2328

JO - Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

JF - Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

SN - 1064-3389

IS - 20

ER -