Valorisation of invasive plant (Rhododendron ponticum) biomass into activated biochar as a sustainable adsorbent for emerging pharmaceutical contaminant removal from water

The common issue of water contamination by pharmaceuticals are increasingly recognised as emerging contaminants in water as they pose significant environmental and health risks, necessitating innovative and sustainable approaches to water treatment. Activated biochar represents an effective solution for the removal of pharmaceuticals from water. Here, the focus was on the valorisation of Rhododendron ponticum, an invasive plant species in Ireland, into high-surface-area activated biochar through thermo-chemical treatments. In this work, phosphoric acid (H3PO4) was used for activation at two different temperatures (550 and 650 °C).