Abstract: In recent decades, antibiotics have been extensively used in the fields of health care and animal husbandry. As a result, antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been detected in various natural conditions across the world, including livestock manure, natural soil, and water body, posing high risks to environment and human health. Given the current difficulties in regulating discharge of antibiotics, an effective method to reduce the pollution of antibiotics and ARGs in the environment is critical to mitigate their ecological risks. Biochar is a carbon-rich product, with large specific surface area, profound pore structure, abundant functional groups, and low cost. It is considered as an ideal material for removing these pollutants of antibiotics. We systematically summarized the behaviors of biochar in removing antibiotics and ARGs under different environmental conditions, with an emphasis on the enhancement effects of the modified biochar. The adsorption behavior and removal mechanism of biochar to antibiotics and ARGs were also discussed. Furthermore, we proposed the optimization in biochar preparation and adsorption process based on its drawbacks.

Key words: antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes, biochar, modification process, removal mechanism.