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Biochar has been recognized as an effective soil amendment for reducing nitrogen leaching in agriculture, but its large-scale implementation is impeded by the costly production process due to high energy requirements for thermal decomposition of feedstock. This study aimed to develop a novel pyrolysis system utilizing concentrated solar radiation to produce biochar and explore the potential of solar-pyrolyzed biochar for nitrate adsorption. Results showed that the solar-pyrolyzed biochar exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 35.59 mg/g for nitrate, significantly higher than two out of the three commercially available biochars in America that are selected for comparison. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis suggested a variety of oxygen-containing polar functional groups present in the solar-pyrolysis biochar, which enhances its affinity for nitrate and other hydrophilic ions. The X-ray diffraction (XRD …