The rapid development of modern industries is accompanied with the aggravating water heavy metal pollution, which poses a potential threat to the aquatic environment and the health of local populations. As an efficient and economical adsorbent, biochar demonstrates the adsorption capacity for heavy metal ions and its adsorption capacity is significantly enhanced after modification. Therefore, biochar can effectively mitigate environmental pollution. By reviewing the existing studies, we summarize the modification methods of biochar, compare the advantages and disadvantages of physical, biological, and chemical modification methods, analyze the effects of modification on the adsorption capacity of biochar for heavy metal ions, and expound the modification mechanism of biochar. On this basis, this article puts forward the future research directions of the application of biochar in treating coexisting pollutants, aiming to provide a reference for the application of biochar in the purification of heavy metal-containing wastewater.
Charcoal/chemistry* ; Metals, Heavy ; Adsorption ; Wastewater/chemistry* ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry* ; Water Purification/methods* ; Heavy Ions ; Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods*

Excessive levels of cadmium (Cd) in soil exert serious negative impacts on soil ecosystems. Microorganisms are a common component of soil and show great potential for mitigating soil Cd. This review summarizes the application and remediation mechanisms of microorganisms, microbial-plants, and microbial-biochar in Cd-contaminated soil. Microorganisms such as Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can change the biological validity of Cd through adsorption, mineralization, precipitation and dissolution. Different factors such as pH, temperature, biomass, concentration, and duration have significant effects on Cd bioavailability by microorganisms. Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, and Flavobacterium can promote the uptake of Cd²⁺ by hyperaccumulator through promotion and activation. Biochar, a soil amendment, possesses unique physicochemical properties and could act as a shelter for microorganisms in agriculture. The use of combined microbial-biochar can further stabilize Cd compared to using biochar alone.
Cadmium ; Ecosystem ; Soil Pollutants ; Charcoal/chemistry* ; Soil/chemistry*

Biochar is a kind of solid material with high aromatization and rich in carbon, which is formed by pyrolysis of biomass at high temperature(250-700 ℃) under anoxic or hypoxic conditions. It has the characteristics of large specific surface area and rich pores. In recent years, as a good soil conditioner, biochar has gradually improved its advantages in improving soil rhizosphere micro ecological environment, promoting plant growth and development, and enhancing plant resistance, etc. It has been proved that biochar can affect the growth and development of plants by improving soil physical and chemical properties, adjusting microbial community structure, participating in the metabolic process in plants, and inducing plants to enhance resistance. This paper summarized the research progress of biochar application in agriculture and introduced the ecological effects and mechanism of biochar on plant seed germination, seedling growth, crop yield and stress resistance. Combined with the characteristics of Chinese materia medica, this paper expounds the application potential of biochar in improving the content of secondary metabolites of Chinese materia medica and alleviating continuous cropping obstacles of Chinese materia medica, etc. In the future, it is necessary to strengthen the research of biochar in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, allelopathy and heavy metal stress of medicinal plants, so as to provide reference for the application of biochar in the cultivation of Chinese materia medica.
Agriculture ; Charcoal ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Materia Medica

Suicide is the fifth-leading cause of death in Korea, accounting for 4.4% of all deaths. Therefore, suicide is a serious medical problem, as well as a social problem. In this paper, we provide a social psychiatric perspective on suicide and recommend suicide prevention strategies based on programs with roots in the Gwangju mental health pilot project and an analysis of suicide patterns in Seoul. First, early intervention and active case management are mandatory to prevent suicide among individuals with mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, and alcohol use disorder. To this end, mental health and welfare centers, addiction management centers, suicide prevention centers, and care program after a suicide attempt in the emergency department of general hospitals should collaborate via a multidisciplinary approach. Second, crisis intervention should be provided in collaboration with the police, government officials, and mental health agencies to people who are at immediate risk of suicide. Additionally, case management services should be expanded for individuals who are treated at hospitals for psychiatric illness. Third, social welfare services should be offered to low-income individuals at risk of suicide. Fourth, the mass media should restrict reporting about suicide and follow the relevant reporting guidelines. Finally, access to methods of committing suicide, such as charcoal for burning and agrichemical poisoning, should be regulated by the government. Proactive psychosocial strategies implemented with government support will prevent suicide-related deaths and decrease the suicide rate in Korea.
Burns ; Case Management ; Cause of Death ; Charcoal ; Cooperative Behavior ; Crisis Intervention ; Depression ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gwangju ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Media ; Mental Health ; Occupational Groups ; Pilot Projects ; Poisoning ; Police ; Schizophrenia ; Seoul ; Social Problems ; Social Welfare ; Suicide

Glyphosate herbicides, which are widely used worldwide, are known to have low toxicity. However, excessive intake may cause serious life-threatening complications; therefore, caution is needed when using them. A 51-year-old man visited the hospital after ingesting glyphosate herbicide. At the time of admission, his vital signs were 80/60 mmHg-115/min-20/min-37.3℃. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed QRS widening and corrected QT (QTc) prolongation, and blood tests showed metabolic acidosis. Treatment with gastric lavage, activated charcoal, sodium bicarbonate and intravenous lipid emulsion therapy was performed. After 2 hours, his blood pressure increased to 130/90 mg, and no QRS widening was observed on ECG.
Acidosis ; Blood Pressure ; Charcoal ; Electrocardiography ; Gastric Lavage ; Hematologic Tests ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Poisoning ; Sodium Bicarbonate ; Vital Signs

The suicide rate in Korea has been declining steadily after peaking in 2011. However, to date, time-series analyses of Korean suicide rate data have mainly addressed factors related to increases in suicide rates. This study analyzed one of the most important evidence-based public health strategies to decrease suicide, that is, preventive effects of restricting access to lethal means via a charcoal-selling procedure improvement campaign, using multivariate time series analysis. The results showed the campaign in Gyeonggi Province had a significant effect on decreasing the number of charcoal-burning suicides in this area. It is believed that the present study has important implications in terms of providing the first empirical evidence for the charcoal-selling procedure improvement campaign in Korea. Further repeated research is needed to evaluate the impact of the intervention when the more enough observational data become available.
Burns ; Charcoal ; Gyeonggi-do ; Korea ; Public Health ; Suicide

Adsorption ; Adult ; Charcoal ; chemistry ; Chlorpyrifos ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Female ; Hemoperfusion ; Humans ; Insecticides ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; blood ; therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: Charcoal is the first-line treatment in drug intoxication. Prediction of the time required for charcoal to pass in patients with constipation using radio-opaque markers (Kolomark) will facilitate the treatment, progression, and discharge of patients. METHODS: From October 2017 to April 2018, we compared constipation and non-constipation groups of patients aged 15 years old and over who were treated with drug intoxication at the emergency department. To accomplish this, a radiopaque marker, Kolomark, was administered after administration of charcoal and X-rays were taken to confirm the location of the Kolomark. The rectosigmoid colon arrival time of charcoal and charcoal passing time was then measured. RESULTS: Based on 48 charcoal passing times, 56 hours 42 minutes was required for its passage. The Kolomark arrival time at the rectosigmoid colon was delayed by about 47 hours in the constipation group. Additionally, the time of evacuation of the charcoal from rectosigmoid colon to stool was 15 hours 42 minutes in the constipation group, while it was 13 hours 10 minutes in the non-constipation group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results revealed that charcoal is released in 13 hours 52 minutes after Kolomark arrives at the rectosigmoid colonic position. These findings may help predict the release of charcoal during treatment of patients and facilitate patient's treatment, progress, and discharge.
Charcoal* ; Colon ; Constipation ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gastrointestinal Tract* ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been widely used as a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in occupationally exposed workers. The objective of this study is to investigate the concentration of urinary 1-OHP among charcoal workers as subjects and non-charcoal workers as controls. METHODS: Early morning urine samples were collected from 68 persons (25 charcoal workers in Igbo-Ora, 20 charcoal workers in Alabata, and 23 non-charcoal workers) who volunteered to participate in this study. 1-OHP determination in urine samples was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography after hydrolysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean urinary 1-OHP concentration (μmol/mol creatinine) among charcoal workers at Igbo-Ora and Alabata and non-charcoal workers were 2.22 ± 1.27, 1.32 ± 0.65, and 0.32 ± 0.26 (p < 0.01). There existed a relationship between respondent type and 1-OHP concentration. Charcoal workers were 3.14 times more at risk of having 1-OHP concentrations that exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists guideline of 0.49 μmol/mol creatinine than non-charcoal workers (relative risk = 3.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.7–5.8, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Charcoal workers are exposed to PAHs during charcoal production and are at risk of experiencing deleterious effects of PAH exposure. Routine air quality assessment should be carried out in communities where charcoal production takes place. Assessment of urinary 1-OHP concentration and use of personal protective equipment should also be encouraged among charcoal workers.
Charcoal* ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Creatinine ; Humans ; Hydrolysis ; Nigeria* ; Occupations ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic* ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The number of glyphosate and glufosinate intoxication cases are increasing in Korea. This study was undertaken is to compare the clinical manifestations of poisoning by these two herbicides and to document severities and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated cases of glyphosate or glufosinate intoxication among patients that visited our emergency department between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017. Incidences of intoxications were analyzed over this five year period, and underlying diseases, transportation, mental state, shock occurrence, inotropics, gastric lavage, charcoal administration, intubation and ventilator therapy, and hemodialysis were investigated. In addition, we included transfer to the intensive care unit, incidences of pneumonia and of other complications, death, and hopeless discharge. RESULTS: There were 119 cases of glyphosate intoxication and 42 of glufosinate intoxication. Levels of consciousness were lower for glufosinate and vasopressor usage was higher due to a high shock rate (p=0.019). In addition, many patients were referred to the ICU for intubation and ventilation. The incidences of pneumonia and of other complications were significantly higher for glufosinate. CONCLUSION: Overall glufosinate intoxication was found to be more severe than glyphosate intoxication as determined by complication and ICU admission rates.
Charcoal ; Consciousness ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gastric Lavage ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Korea ; Pneumonia ; Poisoning* ; Renal Dialysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Transportation ; Ventilation ; Ventilators, Mechanical