Abstract

Textile industries are among the largest contributors to global water pollution, discharging wastewater laden with dyes, heavy metals, and synthetic chemicals that pose serious environmental and health threats. Conventional treatment methods often fall short in effectively removing these pollutants and are hindered by high operational costs, sludge production, and limited reusability. In this context, magnetic biochar has emerged as a promising, sustainable, and cost-effective material for textile wastewater remediation. This review explores the synthesis strategies of magnetic biochar—primarily focusing on co-precipitation and iron precursor pyrolysis methods—along with their key physicochemical and magnetic characteristics assessed through XRD, SEM, BET, FTIR, and VSM analyses. The adsorption behaviour of magnetic biochar is further discussed through isotherm and kinetic models, such as Langmuir, Freundlich, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion models. The mechanisms driving pollutant removal include electrostatic attraction, pore filling, π–π interactions, and catalytic Fenton-like reactions. Case studies on dye and heavy metal removal demonstrate the material’s high efficiency, ease of recovery, and reusability. Finally, the paper highlights current research gaps, scalability issues, and future prospects for advancing magnetic biochar technologies in industrial-scale wastewater treatment. This review provides a comprehensive understanding to guide future innovations and practical applications in sustainable water management.