[Effects of Biochar Pyrolyzed at Varying Temperatures on Soil Organic Carbon and Its Components:Influence on the Soil Active Organic Carbon]

Soil active organic carbon is the most important carbon pool and a good indicator in ecosystem management due to its great significance in soil carbon cycling and soil quality.In order to investigate the effect of biochar (BC) addition on soil organic matter fractions,apple tree twigs were used to produce BC at 300,400,500 and 600℃,respectively.Elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to determine the characteristics of BC.Four kinds of BC were added into soils at five application rates (0,0.5%,1%,2% and 3%) and incubated at 25℃ in lab for over 360 days.Soil organic carbon (SOC),microbial biomass carbon (MBC),water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and readily oxidized organic carbon (ROC) were measured during the incubation.The mass fraction of carbon (C) in the generated BC ranged from 62.20%-80.01%,while hydrogen (H) ranged from 2.72%-5.18% and Oxygen (O) ranged from 15.98%-30.92%.The increasing temperature increased the mass fraction of C,while decreased the O and H mass content,as well as the ratio of H/C and O/C.The addition of BC significantly increased SOC,and the treatments amended with BC500 had the highest increments.Compared with the control treatment (CK),the addition of BC produced at temperatures below 400℃ increased the contents of MBC,WSOC and ROC during the incubation,at the end of the incubation,BC300 treatments significantly increased the contents by 38.25%,82.09% and 63.53%(P<0.05),respectively;BC400 treatments significantly increased the contents by 26.07%,65.61% and 48.09%(P<0.05),respectively;while lower contents of MBC,WSOC and ROC were found in the treatments amended with BC produced at temperatures above 400℃ after 40-60 d incubation.After 360 d of incubation,the contents of MBC,WSOC and ROC were significantly decreased by 0.27%,13.48% and 14.67% in BC500 treatments and 7.80%,14.66% and 15.79% in BC600 treatments (except for the MBC in BC500 treatment)(P<0.05).The relative contents of ROC ranged from 3.39% to 15.65%,BC application decreased the relative content of ROC,suggesting that the increase was in proportion to the stability of organic carbon in the soil.Considering the content and quality of SOC,when the BC products were applied to the Loutu soil,500℃ was the optimal temperature for preparing apple-derived BC due to its significant increase of the soil organic carbon and a slight decrease of the relative content of soil active organic carbon.

Organic Molecules from Biochar Leacheates Have a Positive Effect on Rice Seedling Cold Tolerance

Biochar is known to have a number of positive effects on plant ecophysiology. However, limited research has been carried out to date on the effects and mechanisms of biochar on plant ecophysiology under abiotic stresses, especially responses to cold. In this study, we report on a series of experiments on rice seedlings treated with different concentrations of biochar leacheates (between 0 and 10% by weight) under cold stress (10°C). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and cold-resistant physiological indicator analysis at low temperatures revealed that the cold tolerance of rice seedlings increased after treatment with high concentrations of biochar leacheates (between 3 and 10% by weight). Results also show that the organic molecules in biochar leacheates enhance the cold resistance of plants when other interference factors are excluded. We suggest that the positive influence of biochar on plant cold tolerance is because of surface organic molecules which likely function by entering a plant and interacting with stress-related proteins. Thus, to verify these mechanisms, this study used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques, identifying 20 organic molecules in biochar extracts using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library. Further, to illustrate how these organic molecules work, we utilized the molecular docking software Autodock to show that the organic molecule 6-(Methylthio)hexa-1,5-dien-3-ol from biochar extracts can dock with the stress-related protein zinc-dependent activator protein (ZAP1). 6-(Methylthio)hexa-1,5-dien-3-ol has a similar binding mode with the ligand succinic acid of ZAP1. It can be inferred that the organic molecule identified in this study performs the same function as the ZAP1 ligand, stimulating ZAP1 driving cold-resistant functions, and enhancing plant cold tolerance. We conclude that biochar treatment enhances cold tolerance in rice seedlings via interactions between organic molecules and stress related proteins.

Non-chemical Control of Root Parasitic Weeds with Biochar

This study tested whether soil-applied biochar can impact the seed germination and attachment of root parasitic weeds. Three hypotheses were evaluated: (i) biochar adsorbs host-exuded signaling molecules; (ii) biochar activates plants' innate system-wide defenses against invasion by the parasite; and (iii) biochar has a systemic influence on the amount of seed germination stimulant produced or released by the host plant. Three types of experiments were performed: (I) pot trials with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) infested with Phelipanche aegyptiaca PERS. (Egyptian broomrape) and three different types of biochar at concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.5% weight, wherein tomato plant biomass, P. aegyptiaca biomass, and number of P. aegyptiaca-tomato root attachments were quantified; (II) split-root biochar/no-biochar experiments under hydroponic growing conditions performed in polyethylene bags with tomato plant rootings, wherein P. aegyptiaca seed germination percentage and radicle attachment numbers were quantified; and (III) germination trials, wherein the effect of biochar adsorption of GR-24 (artificial germination stimulant) on P. aegyptiaca seed germination was quantified. Addition of biochar to the pot soil (Experiment I) resulted in lower levels of P. aegyptiaca infection in the tomato plants, mainly through a decrease in the number of P. aegyptiaca attachments. This led to improved tomato plant growth. In Experiment II, P. aegyptiaca seed germination percentage decreased in the biochar-treated root zone as compared with the no-biochar control root zone; P. aegyptiaca radicle attachment numbers decreased accordingly. This experiment showed that biochar did not induce a systemic change in the activity of the stimulant molecules exuded by the tomato roots, toxicity to the radicles, or a change in the ability of the radicles to penetrate the tomato roots. The major cause for the decrease in germination percentage was physical adsorption of the stimulant molecule by the biochar (Experiment III). Adding biochar to soil to reduce infections by root parasitic weeds is an innovative means of control with the potential to become an important strategy both for non-chemical treatment of this family of pests, and for enhancing the economic feasibility of the pyrolysis/biochar platform. This platform is often viewed as one of a handful of credible strategies for helping to mitigate climate change.

Dynamics in the Strawberry Rhizosphere Microbiome in Response to Biochar and Botrytis cinerea Leaf Infection

Adding biochar, the solid coproduct of biofuel production, to peat can enhance strawberry growth, and disease resistance against the airborne fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Additionally, biochar can induce shifts in the strawberry rhizosphere microbiome. However, the moment that this biochar-mediated shift occurs in the rhizosphere is not known. Further, the effect of an above-ground infection on the strawberry rhizosphere microbiome is unknown. In the present study we established two experiments in which strawberry transplants (cv. Elsanta) were planted either in peat or in peat amended with 3% biochar. First, we established a time course experiment to measure the effect of biochar on the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities over time. In a second experiment, we inoculated the strawberry leaves with B. cinerea, and studied the impact of the infection on the rhizosphere bacterial community. The fungal rhizosphere community was stabilized after 1 week, except for the upcoming Auriculariales, whereas the bacterial community shifted till 6 weeks. An effect of the addition of biochar to the peat on the rhizosphere microbiome was solely measured for the bacterial community from week 6 of plant growth onwards. When scoring the plant development, biochar addition was associated with enhanced root formation, fruit production, and postharvest resistance of the fruits against B. cinerea. We hypothesize that the bacterial rhizosphere microbiome, but also biochar-mediated changes in chemical substrate composition could be involved in these events. Infection of the strawberry leaves with B. cinerea induced shifts in the bacterial rhizosphere community, with an increased bacterial richness. This disease-induced effect was not observed in the rhizospheres of the B. cinerea-infected plants grown in the biochar-amended peat. The results show that an above-ground infection has its effect on the strawberry rhizosphere microbiome, changing the bacterial interactions in the root-substrate interface. This infection effect on the bacterial rhizosphere microbiome seems to be comparable to, but less pronounced than the effect of biochar-addition to the peat. The biological meaning of these observations needs further research, but this study indicates that biochar and an above-ground pathogen attack help the plant to recruit rhizosphere microbes that may aid them in their plant growth and health.

[Adsorption and Influential Factors of Diuron on the Loess Soil by Adding Different Biochar Prepared at Varying Temperatures]

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effect of biochar, produced from maize and pine needles residue at different temperatures, on the adsorption of diuron onto loess soil. Meanwhile, the effect of the systemic temperature, pH values and the initial concentration of diuron were also investigated for the adsorption of diuron onto losses soil. And Kinetic parameters, such as rate constants, equilibrium adsorption capacities and related correlation coefficients were also calculated and discussed. The results showed that the adsorption of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar could be described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and followed the intraparticle diffusion model, but diffusion was not only the rate-controlling step. The adsorption process was divided into fast (0-8 h) and slow (8-12 h) adsorption stages, and equilibrium was reached at around 12 h. The adsorption thermodynamics of diuron onto loess soil was nonlinear by nature, and well fitted with the Freundlich isothermal model. Thermodynamic parameter analysis of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar showed that Gibbs free energy (ΔG^θ) was less than zero, while Enthalpy (ΔS^θ) and Entropy (ΔH^θ) were greater than zero, indicating a spontaneous endothermic adsorption, which increased the degree of disorder during the process. And Thermodynamic parameter analysis of diuron onto loess soil without adding biochar showed that Gibbs free energy (ΔG^θ) and Entropy (ΔH^θ) were less than zero, while Enthalpy (ΔS^θ) was greater than zero. The average adsorption free energy E was in range of 1.29-5.00 kJ·mol^-1 when the temperatures increased from 25 to 45℃, indicated that adsorption of diuron onto loess was a physical adsorption. The results also suggested that the influencing factors of diuron had significant effects on the adsorptive behaviors of diuron on loess soil. With increasing pyrolysis temperature of biochar, the equilibrium concentration of diuron in water decreased, while the amount of adsorption on loess soil increased. When the initial concentration of diuron increased from 0.5 mg·L^-1 to 6 mg·L^-1, the adsorption capacity of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar showed a rapidly increasing trend. When the initial concentration increased. the adsorption capacity showed a slow increasing trend and gradually tended to be stable. In the pH range of 3 to 10, the adsorption capacity of diuron onto loess soil by adding biochar changed a little.

[Effect of biochar addition on soil evaporation.]

In order to determine the rational amount of biochar application and its effect on soil hydrological processes in arid area, soil column experiments were conducted in the laboratory using three biochar additions (5%, 10% and 15%) and four different biochar types (d<0.25 mm bamboo charcoal, 0.25 mm <d<1 mm bamboo charcoal, d<0.25 mm wood charcoal and 0.25 mm <d<1 mm wood charcoal; d is particle size) to study their impact on the phreatic water recharge, soil water-holding capacity, capillary water upward movement and soil evaporation. The results showed that the addition of biochar could change the phreatic water recharge, soil water-holding capacity, capillary water upward movement and soil evaporation obviously. But the effects were different depending on the type of biochar raw material and the size of particle. The phreatic water recharge increased with the increasing amount of biochar addition. The addition of biochar could obviously enlarge the soil water-holding capacity and promote the capillary water upward movement rate. This effect was greater when using the material of bamboo charcoal compared with using wood charcoal, while biochar with small particle size had greater impact than that with big particle size. The biochar could effectively restrain the soil evaporation at a low addition amount (5%). But it definitely promoted the soil evaporation if the addition amount was very high. In arid area, biochar addition in appropriate amount could improve soil water retention capacity.

[Effect of Adding Compound Adsorbent on Phenanthrene and Cr(Ⅵ) Absorption by Lou Soil]

To study the effect of the addition of compound adsorbent on the phenanthrene and Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption of Lou soil, biochar (made from corn stover) and B_200B (Bentonite modified by BS-12, dodecyl dimethyl betaine with modified ratio of 200% CEC of Bentonite) were mixed at mass ratios of 1:2, 1:1 and 2:1 as the compound adsorbents (CS_1:2, CS_1:1 and CS_2:1). Different amounts (2%, 5% and 10%) of these three compound adsorbents were added into Lou soil. Batch method was used to analyze the phenanthrene and Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption isotherms of different Lou samples, and compare the effect of environmental conditions such as pH value and temperature on the phenanthrene and Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption. The results indicated: ① Adsorption amounts of Cr(Ⅵ) on different Lou samples were 3.02 to 13.61 times higher than CK (original Lou soil). Under the same adding conditions (amount), Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption showed the order of CS_2:1 Lou > CS_1:1 Lou > CS_1:2 Lou > CK. Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption was a spontaneous process with decreased enthalpy (except CS_1:2) and increased entropy. Adsorption amounts of phenanthrene on different Lou samples were 3.87 to 13.00 times higher than CK. Phenanthrene adsorption presented the ranking of CS_1:2 Lou > CS_2:1 Lou > CS_1:1 Lou > CK at the adding amounts of 2% and 5%, while showed the order of CS_1:2 Lou > CS_1:1 Lou > CS_2:1 Lou > CK when 10% of the compound adsorbent was added. The adsorption was also a spontaneous process with decreased enthalpy and increased entropy. ② When the temperature was 10-30℃, the adsorption amount of Cr(Ⅵ) increased by 5.84%, 4.63% and 8.22% on CK, CS_1:1 and CS_2:1 Lou soils, and reduced by 2.70% on CS_1:2 Lou soils. Adsorption amount of phenanthrene increased by 1.69% of CK and reduced by 10.55%, 4.36% and 12.81% of CS_2:1, CS_1:1 and CS_1:2 Lou soils respectively. ③ When the pH was 4-10, the Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption had no significant change for CK, while those for CS_1:2, CS_1:1 and CS_2:1 Lou soils all reduced. Phenanthrene adsorption of CK, CS_1:2 and CS_1:1 Lou soils was all highest at pH=4, and phenanthrene adsorption of CS_2:1 Lou was highest at pH=7.④ The higher the ratio of B_200B in compound adsorbent, the better the phenanthrene adsorption was. The higher the ratio of biochar in compound adsorbent, the better the Cr(Ⅵ) adsorption was.

[Effect of Biochar on Adsorption Behavior of Nonylphenol onto Loess Soil in Northwest China]

In the present study, nonylphenol (NP) was selected as the target pollutant to investigate the effect of biochar produced from wheat residue at different temperatures on loess soil based on the batch experiments. The research basically included adsorption kinetic, thermodynamic and some influencing factors such as biochar with different pyrolysis temperature, particle size and pH value. The results showed that the adsorption reaction of NP onto loess soil without biochar was 10 h during fast reaction, and after the addition of biochar into loess soil, the fast reaction time of NP adsorption was shortened. Meanwhile, in the fast stage the adsorption reaction of NP onto loess soil with biochar was significantly higher than loess soil without biochar, while the difference of adsorption capacity was small at different carbonization temperatures. The adsorption reaction of NP onto loess soil by adding biochar could be well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and reached equilibrium in 16 h. The kinetic data showed that the adsorption of NP accorded well with the Freundlich isotherm model. The saturated adsorption capacity was improved as temperature increased with or without biochar. Thermodynamic parameter analysis indicated Gibbs free energy ΔG^θ<0, entropy ΔH^θ>0 and enthalpy ΔS^θ>0, demonstrating it was a spontaneous, endothermic and chaos-increasing adsorption process. At the same temperature, the adsorption capacity of NP in loess soils increased dramatically with the increase of carbonization temperature. The smaller particle size of the loess with the addition of biochar, the better the adsorption of NP. When the pH value was 4 to 7, the adsorption capacity of NP onto loess soil by adding biochar showed an increasing trend; in the pH range of 7 to 10, the adsorption saturation capacity decreased with the increase of pH value. Therefore, the adsorption of NP on loess with the addition of biochar had the best adsorption effect in the neutral range. Acid and alkalinity were not conducive to the adsorption of NP.

[Evaluating Biochar-Water Sorption Coefficients of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds by Using a Linear Free Energy Relationship]

A linear free energy relationship (LFER) approach was used to predict the sorption coefficients of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) to commercial biochar from aqueous solution, and to investigate the contributions of different intermolecular interactions in the overall sorption process. 14 PhACs with diverse functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl and nitrogenous heterocyclic) were selected as sorbates. All isotherm data of PhACs sorption to commercial rice straws biochar (carbonization temperature: 400-500℃, 200 mesh) could be well fitted by the Freundlich equation. The established LFER model could predict the value of sorption coefficient lgK_d,activity at arbitrary levels of chemical saturation. The values of multiple correlation coefficient (R²=0.93), standard error (SE=0.23), F-statistic (268), leave-one-out cross validation (Q_LOO²=0.90), external cross validation correlation coefficient (Q_EXT²=0.92) indicated that the model was stable and of high predictive ability. The calculated results of the LFER model showed that, at lower sorbate concentration, sorption was dominated by the positive effect of cavity and the negative effect of sorbate capability of electron donation.

Influence of pyrolytic and non-pyrolytic rice and castor straws on the immobilization of Pb and Cu in contaminated soil

Soil contamination with heavy metals has become a global environmental health concern. In the present study, European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) techniques were used to evaluate the Pb and Cu subsequent transformations, immobilizing impact of pyrolytic and non-pyrolytic rice and castor straws and their efficiency to reduce the metals mobility and leachability in the polluted soil. Obtained results highlight the potential of biochar over non-pyrolytic residues to enhance the immobilization of Pb and Cu in the soil. Castor leaves-derived biochar (CLB), castor stem-derived biochar (CSB), and rice straw-derived biochar (RSB) prominently decreased the mobility (acid-soluble fraction) of Pb 49.8%, 31.1%, and 31.9%, respectively, while Cu decreased 15.8%, 11.5%, and 12%, respectively, as compare to control. Sequential extraction showed that biochar treatments prominently modified the proportioning of Pb and Cu from acid soluble to a less bioavailable fraction and increased the geochemical stability in the polluted soil as compared to relative feedstocks as well as the controlled soil. Additionally, the soil pH increased markedly after the addition of biochar. Compared with control, the TCLP-extractable Pb and Cu were reduced to 29.2-41.4% and 5.7-22.8% from the soil respectively by the application of CLB. The immobilization and reduction in leachability of Pb and Cu were correlated with the soil pH. The biochar effect on the Pb immobilization was much better as compared to Cu in co-contaminated soil. Overall addition of CLB offered the best results and could be effective in both Pb and Cu immobilization thereby reducing their mobility and bioavailability in the co-contaminated soil.

Development of adsorptive membranes by confinement of activated biochar into electrospun nanofibers

Adsorptive membranes have many applications in removal of contaminants, such as heavy metals and organic contaminants from water. Recently, increasing concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds, especially antibiotics, such as chlortetracycline in water and wastewater sources has raised concerns about their potentially adverse impacts on environment and human health. In this study, a series of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/activated biochar nanofibrous membranes (NFMs) with different loadings of biochar (0-2%, w/w) were fabricated using electrospinning. The morphology and structure of fabricated membranes was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that at 1.5% of biochar loading, the surface area reached the maximum value of 12.4 m²/g and beyond this loading value, agglomeration of particles inhibited fine interaction with nanofibrous matrix. Also, the adsorption tests using chlortetracycline showed that, under environmentally relevant concentrations, the fabricated adsorptive NFMs had a potential for removal of these types of emerging contaminants from water and wastewaters.

[Effects of Biochar Amendment and Irrigation on Denitrification Losses in Greenhouse Tomato Fields]

Biochar addition and irrigation are normal farm practices for tomatoes management, while their impacts on denitrification are less known. In this study, three irrigation treatments(hereafter main plots)were set as 50% (W50%), 75% (W75%) and 100% (W100%) of reference evapotranspiration (ET₀), and the subplots coupled three biochar treatments at the rates of 0 (B0), 25 t·hm^-2 (B25) and 50 t·hm^-2 (B50). Typical soil samples in each plot were collected when tomatoes were harvested in 2014 and 2015. We used acetylene inhibition method to study the denitrification loss, and also measured N₂O emissions of tomato soil without acetylene amendment. The results showed that biochar and irrigation significantly changed the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Adding biochar improved total carbon, total nitrogen content and pH of the soil, while reduced the content of NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^--N compared to B0. On the contrary, irrigation reduced the amount of total nitrogen and total carbon content. As a result, both biochar and irrigation significantly reduced denitrification losses (P<0.05). Moreover, the interaction of biochar and irrigation significantly reduced soil inorganic nitrogen and denitrification losses (P<0.05),and the orders of the influencing factors of NO₃^--N were irrigation, biochar, their interactions in turn, the orders of the influencing factors of NH₄⁺-N were biochar, irrigation, their interactions in turn, the orders of the influencing factors of denitrification losses were irrigation, biochar, their interactions in turn. Denitrification losses were positively related to inorganic nitrogen content in the soil, CO₂mineralization rates and N₂O emission rates. The ratio of N₂O/D_N, ranging from 0.31% to 1.88%, was significantly affected by biochar and irrigation treatment in the fields (P<0.05).

[Effects of Different Organic Materials on Bio-availability of Cd, Pb in a Contaminated Greenhouse Soil]

A two-season soil culture experiment was continually conducted to study the effects of three organic materials,namely Danty, Peat and Biochar,respectively,on combined forms and bio-availability of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) under Cd and Pb in single and combined pollution during 2014-2015. This study aimed to provide a theoretical basis for remediating greenhouse soil contaminated with heavy metals Cd and Pb using organic materials. The main results were as follows: the content of DTPA-Cd decreased significantly by 11.9%(P<0.05) in the soil of Cd and Pb combined pollution with the application of danty, the total of exchangeable Cd, carbonate-bound Cd and iron-manganese oxide bound Cd was reduced by 26.4% and 34.4% in the soil, and the accumulation of Cd in shoots was significantly cut down by 32.0% and 28.0% (P<0.05) respectively in Cd single and Cd and Pb combined pollution after applying danty; the content of DTPA-Pb was significantly depleted by 83.5% and 83.8%(P<0.05), the total of exchangeable Pb, carbonate-bound Pb and iron-manganese oxide bound Pb was decreased by 34.5% and 13.9% in the soil and the accumulation of Pb in shoots was significantly reduced by 32.0% and 30.0% (P<0.05) in Pb single and Cd and Pb combined pollution respectively as the use of danty. The content of DTPA-Cd was significantly decreased by 18.9% (P<0.05) in the soil of Cd and Pb combined pollution with the use of peat, the accumulation of Cd in shoots was reduced by 38.0% and 23.4%(P<0.05) in Cd single and Cd-Pb combined pollution respectively after the application of peat; The content of DTPA-Pb was significantly decreased by 2.7% and 7.2%(P<0.05), the total of exchangeable Pb, carbonate-bound Pb and iron-manganese oxide bound Pb was decreased by 15.8% and 14.6% in the soil and the accumulation of Pb in shoots was significantly reduced by 12.7% and 23.4% (P<0.05) respectively in Pb single and Cd and Pb combined pollution due to the application of peat. The pH value of the soil was increased by the use of biochar, the content of DTPA-Cd was reduced by 4.7% and 15.0% respectively in the soil of Cd single and Cd and Pb combined pollution, and the accumulation of Cd in shoots was significantly minified by 38.0% and 23.4% respectively in Cd single and Cd and Pb combined pollution as the application of biochar. The content of DTPA-Pb was decreased by 6.8% and 1.0% and the total of exchangeable Pb, carbonate-bound Pb and iron-manganese oxide bound Pb was cut down by 11.9% and 30.0% in the soil of Pb single and Cd and Pb combined pollution respectively by the application of biochar. The content of Cd in plant was most significantly positively correlated with the content of exchangeable Cd in soil (P<0.01). The content of Pb in plant was most significantly positively correlated with the total of exchangeable Pb, carbonate-bound Pb and iron-manganese oxide bound Pb (P<0.01). In summary, after the application of danty, peat and biochar, the proportion of highly active content of Cd and Pb was minified through adjusting soil pH and immobilizing Cd and Pb by means of adsorption and complexation in greenhouse soil. With the analysis of input-output, the application of danty, peat and biochar costs 4050 yuan·hm^-2, 11250 yuan·hm^-2 and 22500 yuan·hm^-2, respectively. Thus danty, peat and biochar could be used as effective organic agents in the remediation of Cd and Pb contaminated greenhouse soil.

Ni (II) adsorption onto Chrysanthemum indicum: Influencing factors, isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics

The study explores the adsorption potential of Chrysanthemum indicum biomass for nickel ion removal from aqueous solution. C. indicum flowers in raw (CIF-I) and biochar (CIF-II) forms were used as adsorbents in this study. Batch experiments were conducted to ascertain the optimum conditions of solution pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and temperature for varying initial Ni(II) ion concentrations. Surface area, surface morphology, and functionality of the adsorbents were characterized by Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Adsorption kinetics were modeled using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, intraparticle diffusion, Bangham's, and Boyd's plot. The equilibrium data were modeled using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. Experimental data provided the best fit to pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model for the adsorption of Ni(II) ion on both CIF-I and CIF-II with maximum adsorption capacities of 23.97 and 44.02 mg g(-1), respectively. Thermodynamic analysis of the data proved the process to be spontaneous and endothermic in nature. Desorption studies were conducted to evaluate the possibility of reusing the adsorbents. Findings of the present study provide substantial evidence for the use of C. indicum flower as an eco-friendly and potential adsorbent for the removal of Ni(II) ions from aqueous solution.

[Effect of Modified Biochars on Soil Cadmium Stabilization in Paddy Soil Suffered from Original or Exogenous Contamination]

To investigate the passivation of different modified biochars on the speciation and availability of cadmium contaminated soil, the modified biochars were treated by different approaches (acid/base treatment, impregnation with manganese oxides, magnetic modification) and biochars(BC) were used as soil passivating agents for soil culture experiments. The result indicated that the content of available cadmium decreased significantly by BC and modified biochars in originally contaminated soil. Compared with CK, the percentage of available cadmium in originally contaminated soil was reduced by more than 50% using impregnable biochars by KMnO₄(BC-KMnO₄) and basic biochars by NaOH(BC-NaOH). And the content of available cadmium decreased significantly by three modified biochars which were BC-KMnO₄, BC-NaOH and FeCl₃ magnetization biochars(BC-FeCl₃) in exogenously contaminated soil. Particularly, the best performance was observed with BC-KMnO₄ that reduced 30% available cadmium in exogenously contaminated soil. However, the passivation of BC was not significant, and the content of available cadmium slightly increased (3.8%-24.5%) by BC-HNO₃ in exogenously contaminated soil. Furthermore, the content of exchangeable cadmium was increased by 20.2% with 2.5% BC-HNO₃ in exogenously contaminated soil, while significantly decreased by other modified biochars and BC, and the 10% BC-KMnO₄ reduced 65.1% exchangeable cadmium in originally contaminated soil. Meanwhile, soil pH was increased significantly by BC, BC-KMnO₄ and BC-NaOH, while was reduced by BC-HNO₃. The contents of organic carbon and exchangeable base cations in soil were improved by all the treatments. The results of regression analysis showed that the content of available cadmium in originally contaminated soil was significantly negatively correlated with soil pH, soil exchangeable Na⁺, while the content of available cadmium in exogenously contaminated soil was significantly negatively correlated with soil pH, soil organic carbon, soil exchangeable Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺. Accordingly, the lower available cadmium in contaminated soil may correlate with the increasing content of organic carbon, exchangeable base cations and pH. In summary, the materials of BC-KMnO₄ could be used as a superior passivating agent for in situ remediation of cadmium pollution, while the materials of BC-HNO₃ could slightly activate cadmium in the soil, leading to some risk in in situ remediation.

[Removal of Humic Acid from Water Using Pt/biochar Electrode Reactor]

A Pt/biochar electrode reactor was developed to remove humic acid in water. The removal efficiency and characteristics of the reactor were investigated. Experimental results showed that Pt/biochar electrode reactor obtained 74.58% removal rate after 300 min reaction under current density of 20 mA·cm^-2. The removal rate was increased by 58.3% comparing with 47.10% removal rate achieved by Pt/graphite electrode reactor. Electrochemical oxidation and air floating played the main roles in removal of humic acid from water. The improved removal efficiency of humic acid in Pt/biochar electrode reactor was attributed to the fact that the biochar cathode could produce more H₂O₂ than graphite cathode. Three-dimensional excitation emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy and Gel permeation chromatography measurement revealed that Pt/biochar electrode reactor had strong oxidation capability to mineralize the low molecular weight humic acid directly. It suggests that biochar could be use as an innovative cathode material of electrode reactor for organic pollutants treatment in water.

Gasification reactor engineering approach to understanding the formation of biochar properties

The correlation between thermochemical provenance and biochar functionality is poorly understood. To this end, operational reactor temperatures (spanning the reduction zone), pressure and product gas composition measurements were obtained from a downdraft gasifier and compared against elemental composition, surface morphology and polyaromatic hydrocarbon content (PAH) of the char produced. Pine feedstock moisture with values of 7% and 17% was the experimental variable. Moderately high steady-state temperatures were observed inside the reactor, with a ca 50°C difference in how the gasifier operated between the two feedstock types. Both chars exhibited surface properties comparable to activated carbon, but the relatively small differences in temperature caused significant variations in biochar surface area and morphology: micropore area 584 against 360 m² g⁻¹, and micropore volume 0.287 against 0.172 cm³ g⁻¹. Differences in char extractable PAH content were also observed, with higher concentrations (187 µg g⁻¹ ± 18 compared with 89 ± 19 µg g⁻¹ Σ16EPA PAH) when the gasifier was operated with higher moisture content feedstock. It is recommended that greater detail on operational conditions during biochar production should be incorporated to future biochar characterization research as a consequence of these results.

Effect of pyrolysis conditions on the characteristics of biochar produced from a tobacco stem

To investigate the potential use of tobacco stems as feedstock for biochar production, a variety of pyrolysis conditions were studied to determine their effects on the distribution of pyrolysis products, as well as the physicochemical properties, energy yield and porosity characteristics of the biochar. The results showed that a moderate temperature of 400-450°C, a retention time of three hours and a slow heating rate of 5°C min(-1) was better to get high energy yield from biochar. In this study, the highest calorific value of biochar was 28.128 MJ kg(-1) The highest biochar yield occurred at a moderate retention time of three hours. The heating rate had an important influence on the characteristics of biochar, and the physiochemical properties of biochar produced at a heating rate of 10°C min(-1) were better than other levels. Also, the oil yield decreased and gas yield increased as retention time and heating rate increased. Biochar produced at a high temperature of 600°C, a retention time up to four hours and a heating rate of 10-15°C min(-1) had a larger BET surface area and cumulative pore volume than that of others. The highest change rate of pore volume of biochar almost occurred at the pore size of 2-5 nm.

Enhancing phosphate adsorption by Mg/Al layered double hydroxide functionalized biochar with different Mg/Al ratios

Mg/Al ratio plays a significant role for anion adsorption by Mg/Al-layered double hydroxides (Mg/Al-LDHs) modified biochar. In this study, Mg/Al-LDHs biochar with different Mg/Al ratios (2, 3, 4) were prepared by co-precipitation for phosphate removal from aqueous solution. Factors on phosphate adsorption including Mg/Al ratio, pH, and the presence of other inorganic anions were investigated through batch experiments. Increasing Mg/Al ratio in the Mg/Al-LDHs biochar composites generally enhanced phosphate adsorption with Langmuir adsorption maximum calculated at 81.83mg phosphorous (P) per gram of 4:1Mg/Al-LDHs biochar at pH3.0. The adsorption process was best described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Solution pH had greater effects on the phosphate adsorption by Mg/Al LDHs biochar composites with lower Mg/Al ratios. The presence of other inorganic anions decreased the phosphate adsorption efficiency in the order of F(-) > SO4(2-) > NO2(-) >Cl(-). Phosphate adsorption mechanism involves ion exchange, electrostatic attraction and surface inner-sphere complex formation. Overall, Mg/Al-LDHs biochar composites offer a potential alternative of carbon-based adsorbent for phosphate removal from aqueous solution.

Novel Biochar-Plant Tandem Approach for Remediating Hexachlorobenzene Contaminated Soils: Proof-of-Concept and New Insight into the Rhizosphere

Volatilization of semi/volatile persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from soils is a major source of global POPs emission. This proof-of-concept study investigated a novel biochar-plant tandem approach to effectively immobilize and then degrade POPs in soils using hexachlorobenzene (HCB) as a model POP and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) as a model plant growing in soils amended with wheat straw biochar. HCB dissipation was significantly enhanced in the rhizosphere and near rhizosphere soils, with the greatest dissipation in the 2 mm near rhizosphere. This enhanced HCB dissipation likely resulted from (i) increased bioavailability of immobilized HCB and (ii) enhanced microbial activities, both of which were induced by ryegrass root exudates. As a major component of ryegrass root exudates, oxalic acid suppressed HCB sorption to biochar and stimulated HCB desorption from biochar and biochar-amended soils, thus increasing the bioavailability of HCB. High-throughput sequencing results revealed that the 2 mm near rhizosphere soil showed the lowest bacterial diversity due to the increased abundance of some genera (e.g., Azohydromonas, Pseudomonas, Fluviicola, and Sporocytophaga). These bacteria were likely responsible for the enhanced degradation of HCB as their abundance was exponentially correlated with HCB dissipation. The results from this study suggest that the biochar-plant tandem approach could be an effective strategy for remediating soils contaminated with semi/volatile organic contaminants.

Sorption/Desorption Behavior and Mechanism of NH4(+) by Biochar as a Nitrogen Fertilizer Sustained-Release Material

Biochar, the pyrolysis product of biomass material with limited oxygen, has the potential to increase crop production and sustained-release fertilizer, but the understanding of the reason for improving soil fertility is insufficient, especially the behavior and mechanism of ammonium sulfate. In this study, the sorption/desorption effect of NH4(+) by biochar deriving from common agricultural wastes under different preparation temperatures from 200 to 500 °C was studied and its mechanism was discussed. The results showed that biochar displayed excellent retention ability in holding NH4(+) above 90% after 21 days under 200 °C preparation temperature, and it can be deduced that the oxygen functional groups, such as carboxyl and keto group, played the primary role in adsorbing NH4(+) due to hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction. The sorption/desorption effect and mechanism were studied for providing an optional way to dispose of agricultural residues into biochar as a nitrogen fertilizer sustained-release material under suitable preparation temperature.

Responses of Aquatic Bacteria to Terrestrial Runoff: Effects on Community Structure and Key Taxonomic Groups

Organic fertilizer application is often touted as an economical and effective method to increase soil fertility. However, this amendment may increase dissolved organic carbon (DOC) runoff into downstream aquatic ecosystems and may consequently alter aquatic microbial community. We focused on understanding the effects of DOC runoff from soils amended with compost, vermicompost, or biochar on the aquatic microbial community of a tropical reservoir. Runoff collected from a series of rainfall simulations on soils amended with different organic fertilizers was incubated for 16 days in a series of 200 L mesocosms filled with water from a downstream reservoir. We applied 454 high throughput pyrosequencing for bacterial 16S rRNA genes to analyze microbial communities. After 16 days of incubation, the richness and evenness of the microbial communities present decreased in the mesocosms amended with any organic fertilizers, except for the evenness in the mesocosms amended with compost runoff. In contrast, they increased in the reservoir water control and soil-only amended mesocosms. Community structure was mainly affected by pH and DOC concentration. Compared to the autochthonous organic carbon produced during primary production, the addition of allochthonous DOC from these organic amendments seemed to exert a stronger effect on the communities over the period of incubation. While the Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria classes were positively associated with higher DOC concentration, the number of sequences representing key bacterial groups differed between mesocosms particularly between the biochar runoff addition and the compost or vermi-compost runoff additions. The genera of Propionibacterium spp. and Methylobacterium spp. were highly abundant in the compost runoff additions suggesting that they may represent sentinel species of complex organic carbon inputs. Overall, this work further underlines the importance of studying the off-site impacts of organic fertilizers as their impact on downstream aquatic systems is not negligible.

[Studies of Dynamic Adsorption Behavior of VOCs on Biochar Modified by Ultraviolet Irradiation]

Coconut shell based biochar was modified by ultraviolet irradiation with UV light at a wavelength of 365 nm in order to enhance the adsorption capacity for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The breakthrough curves of biochars for adsorbing two typical VOCs (benzene and toluene) were examined. The results showed that the adsorption capacity of modified biochar was greatly increased. The saturation adsorption capacity of modified biochar for benzene and toluene was increased to 122.80 mg·g^-1 and 236.36 mg·g^-1, comparing to that of the pristine biochar (7.27 mg·g^-1 and 7.98 mg·g^-1, respectively). The breakthrough time of modified biochar for benzene and toluene (390 min and 620 min) was also drastically prolonged as compared to the raw biochar (1 min and 2 min). The characterization analysis of biochars suggested that the carboxylic groups and external surface area were largely enriched, which might be the main factor responsible for the enhanced adsorption of the two VOCs on the modified biochar. The processes of adsorbing benzene and toluene at different concentrations on modified biochar were fitted by Yoon-Nelson, Thomas and BDST models. The result demonstrated that these three models could provide good fitting and the correlation coefficients were all above 0.992. The TG-DTG result proved that ultraviolet irradiation had little effect on the thermal stability of biochar. The modified biochar after adsorption saturation could be reused after thermal regeneration and the regenerated char also had high adsorption capacity after five times of repeated utilization.

[Impacts of Biochar and Straw Application on Soil Organic Carbon Transformation]

To explore the effects of biochar and straw application on soil carbon constitution and transformation, an incubation experiment was conducted to study the characteristics of the release of carbon dioxide,as well as the changes in microbial biomass carbon and organic carbon in soil after applying biochar or straw only, or biochar plus straw. The results showed that the straw mineralization rate of organic carbon in soil was 21.50% at 2% application level, which was much higher than that of biochar (8.09%). With the same addition amount of biochar and straw at 4% level for 200 days incubation, the soil organic carbon content was 24.40 and 17.40 g·kg^-1,respectively. It suggested that the positive impact of biochar application on improving soil organic carbon was greater than that of straw. The application of biochar had protective function on soil original organic carbon. Biochar promoted the straw mineralization and resulted in positive interaction effect between biochar and straw on mineralization of soil organic carbon. The application of straw increased soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) greatly, while biochar had less impact on MBC. The application of straw and biochar also increased soil microbial biomass carbon, but the interaction effect could be positive or negative, which was dependent on the incubation time or application rate.

Evaluation of the surface affinity of water in three biochars using fast field cycling NMR relaxometry

Many soil functions depend on the interaction of water with soil. The affinity of water for soils can be altered by applying soil amendments like stone meal, manure, or biochar (a carbonaceous material obtained by pyrolysis of biomasses). In fact, the addition of hydrophobic biochar to soil may increase soil repellency, reduce water-adsorbing capacity, inhibit microbial activity, alter soil filter, buffer, storage, and transformation functions. For this reason, it is of paramount importance to monitor water affinity for biochar surface (also referred to as 'wettability') in order to better address its applications in soil systems. In this study, we propose the use of fast field cycling NMR relaxometry technique with the application of a new mathematical model for data interpretation, as a valid alternative to the traditional contact angle (CA) measurements for biochar wettability evaluation. Either NMR or CA results revealed the same wettability trend for the biochars studied here. The advantage of NMR relaxometry over CA measurements lies in the possibility to obtain at the microscopic level a variety of different information in only one shot. In fact, while CA provides only wettability evaluation, NMR relaxometry also allows achievement of the mechanisms for water molecular dynamics on biochar surface, thereby leading to the possibility to understand better, in future research, the role of biochar in increasing soil quality and plant nutrition.

Metolachlor Sorption and Degradation in Soil Amended with Fresh and Aged Biochars

Addition of organic amendments such as biochar to soils can influence pesticide sorption-desorption processes and, in turn, the amount of pesticide readily availability for transport and biodegradation. Sorption-desorption processes are affected by both the physical and chemical properties of soils and pesticides, as well as soil-pesticide contact time, or aging. Changes in sorption-desorption of metolachlor with aging in soil amended with three macadamia nut shell biochars aged 0 (BCmac-fr), 1 year (BCmac-1yr), and 2 years (BCmac-2yr) and two wood biochars aged 0 (BCwood-fr) and 5 years (BCwood-5yr) were determined. Apparent sorption coefficient (Kd-app) values increased with incubation time to a greater extent in amended soil as compared to unamended soils; Kd-app increased by 1.2-fold for the unamended soil, 2.0-fold for BCwood-fr, 1.4-fold for BCwood-5yr, 2.4-fold for BCmac-fr, 2.5-fold for BCmac-1yr, and 1.9-fold for BCmac-4yr. The increase in calculated Kd-app value was the result of a 15% decrease in the metolachlor solution concentration extractable with CaCl2 solution with incubation time in soil as compared to a 50% decrease in amended soil with very little change in the sorbed concentration. Differences could possibly be due to diffusion to less accessible or stronger binding sites with time, a faster rate of degradation (in solution and on labile sites) than desorption, or a combination of the two in the amended soils. These data show that transport models would overpredict the depth of movement of metolachlor in soil if effects of aging or biochar amendments are not considered.

A Combination of Biochar-Mineral Complexes and Compost Improves Soil Bacterial Processes, Soil Quality, and Plant Properties

Organic farming avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and promises food production with minimal environmental impact, however this farming practice does not often result in the same productivity as conventional farming. In recent years, biochar has received increasing attention as an agricultural amendment and by coating it with minerals to form biochar-mineral complex (BMC) carbon retention and nutrient availability can be improved. However, little is known about the potential of BMC in improving organic farming. We therefore investigated here how soil, bacterial and plant properties respond to a combined treatment of BMC and an organic fertilizer, i.e., a compost based on poultry manure. In a pakchoi pot trial, BMC and compost showed synergistic effects on soil properties, and specifically by increasing nitrate content. Soil nitrate has been previously observed to increase leaf size and we correspondingly saw an increase in the surface area of pakchoi leaves under the combined treatment of BMC and composted chicken manure. The increase in soil nitrate was also correlated with an enrichment of bacterial nitrifiers due to BMC. Additionally, we observed that the bacteria present in the compost treatment had a high turnover, which likely facilitated organic matter degradation and a reduction of potential pathogens derived from the manure. Overall our results demonstrate that a combination of BMC and compost can stimulate microbial process in organic farming that result in better vegetable production and improved soil properties for sustainable farming.

Mechanisms for 1,3-Dichloropropene Dissipation in Biochar-Amended Soils

Biochar, which is organic material heated under a limited supply of oxygen, has the potential to reduce fumigant emissions when incorporated in the soil, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of biochar properties, amendment rate, soil microbe, moisture, temperature, and soil type on the fate of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) isomers in laboratory incubation experiments by assessing the 1,3-D degradation rate and adsorption capacity. 1,3-D dissipation rates were significantly reduced due to strong adsorption by biochar, which was also strongly affected by biochar type. Following a 1% biochar amendment, the half-lives of 1,3-D in soil were increased 2.5-35 times. The half-lives of 1,3-D in soil were strongly affected by soil moisture, temperature, and amendment rate. The effects of sterilization on 1,3-D degradation were much smaller in biochar-amended soils than in nonsterilized soils, which suggests the importance of abiotic pathways with biochar's presence. Dissipation of 1,3-D in biochar was divided into adsorption (49-93%) and chemical degradation pathways. Biochar properties, such as specific surface area (SSA), pH, water content, carbon content, and feedstock, all appeared to affect 1,3-D dissipation with potentially complex interactions. The biochar (air-dry) water content was highly correlated with 1,3-D adsorption capacity and thus can serve as an important predictor for fumigant mitigation use. The fate of the adsorbed fumigant onto biochar requires further examination on potential long-term environmental impacts before guidelines for biochar as a field practice to control fumigant emissions can be formulated.

Soil carbon sequestration and biochar as negative emission technologies

Despite 20 years of effort to curb emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions grew faster during the 2000s than in the 1990s, which presents a major challenge for meeting the international goal of limiting warming to <2 °C relative to the preindustrial era. Most recent scenarios from integrated assessment models require large-scale deployment of negative emissions technologies (NETs) to reach the 2 °C target. A recent analysis of NETs, including direct air capture, enhanced weathering, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage and afforestation/deforestation, showed that all NETs have significant limits to implementation, including economic cost, energy requirements, land use, and water use. In this paper, I assess the potential for negative emissions from soil carbon sequestration and biochar addition to land, and also the potential global impacts on land use, water, nutrients, albedo, energy and cost. Results indicate that soil carbon sequestration and biochar have useful negative emission potential (each 0.7 GtCeq. yr(-1) ) and that they potentially have lower impact on land, water use, nutrients, albedo, energy requirement and cost, so have fewer disadvantages than many NETs. Limitations of soil carbon sequestration as a NET centre around issues of sink saturation and reversibility. Biochar could be implemented in combination with bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. Current integrated assessment models do not represent soil carbon sequestration or biochar. Given the negative emission potential of SCS and biochar and their potential advantages compared to other NETs, efforts should be made to include these options within IAMs, so that their potential can be explored further in comparison with other NETs for climate stabilization.

Biochar Treatment Resulted in a Combined Effect on Soybean Growth Promotion and a Shift in Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria

The application of biochar to soil is considered to have the potential for long-term soil carbon sequestration, as well as for improving plant growth and suppressing soil pathogens. In our study we evaluated the effect of biochar on the plant growth of soybeans, as well as on the community composition of root-associated bacteria with plant growth promoting traits. Two types of biochar, namely, maize biochar (MBC), wood biochar (WBC), and hydrochar (HTC) were used for pot experiments to monitor plant growth. Soybean plants grown in soil amended with HTC char (2%) showed the best performance and were collected for isolation and further characterization of root-associated bacteria for multiple plant growth promoting traits. Only HTC char amendment resulted in a statistically significant increase in the root and shoot dry weight of soybeans. Interestingly, rhizosphere isolates from HTC char amended soil showed higher diversity than the rhizosphere isolates from the control soil. In addition, a higher proportion of isolates from HTC char amended soil compared with control soil was found to express plant growth promoting properties and showed antagonistic activity against one or more phytopathogenic fungi. Our study provided evidence that improved plant growth by biochar incorporation into soil results from the combination of a direct effect that is dependent on the type of char and a microbiome shift in root-associated beneficial bacteria.

Towards a global assessment of pyrogenic carbon from vegetation fires

The production of pyrogenic carbon (PyC; a continuum of organic carbon (C) ranging from partially charred biomass and charcoal to soot) is a widely acknowledged C sink, with the latest estimates indicating that ~50% of the PyC produced by vegetation fires potentially sequesters C over centuries. Nevertheless, the quantitative importance of PyC in the global C balance remains contentious, and therefore, PyC is rarely considered in global C cycle and climate studies. Here we examine the robustness of existing evidence and identify the main research gaps in the production, fluxes and fate of PyC from vegetation fires. Much of the previous work on PyC production has focused on selected components of total PyC generated in vegetation fires, likely leading to underestimates. We suggest that global PyC production could be in the range of 116-385 Tg C yr(-1) , that is ~0.2-0.6% of the annual terrestrial net primary production. According to our estimations, atmospheric emissions of soot/black C might be a smaller fraction of total PyC (<2%) than previously reported. Research on the fate of PyC in the environment has mainly focused on its degradation pathways, and its accumulation and resilience either in situ (surface soils) or in ultimate sinks (marine sediments). Off-site transport, transformation and PyC storage in intermediate pools are often overlooked, which could explain the fate of a substantial fraction of the PyC mobilized annually. We propose new research directions addressing gaps in the global PyC cycle to fully understand the importance of the products of burning in global C cycle dynamics.

Biochar-amended potting medium reduces the susceptibility of rice to root-knot nematode infections

BACKGROUND

Biochar is a solid coproduct of biomass pyrolysis, and soil amended with biochar has been shown to enhance the productivity of various crops and induce systemic plant resistance to fungal pathogens. The aim of this study was to explore the ability of wood biochar to induce resistance to the root-knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne graminicola in rice (Oryza sativa cv. Nipponbare) and examine its histochemical and molecular impact on plant defense mechanisms.

RESULTS

A 1.2 % concentration of biochar added to the potting medium of rice was found to be the most effective at reducing nematode development in rice roots, whereas direct toxic effects of biochar exudates on nematode viability, infectivity or development were not observed. The increased plant resistance was associated with biochar-primed H2O2 accumulation as well as with the transcriptional enhancement of genes involved in the ethylene (ET) signaling pathway. The increased susceptibility of the Ein2b-RNAi line, which is deficient in ET signaling, further confirmed that biochar-induced priming acts at least partly through ET signaling.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that biochar amendments protect rice plants challenged by nematodes. This priming effect partially depends on the ET signaling pathway and enhanced H2O2 accumulation.

Water dynamics in different biochar fractions

Biochar is a carbonaceous porous material deliberately applied to soil to improve its fertility. The mechanisms through which biochar acts on fertility are still poorly understood. The effect of biochar texture size on water dynamics was investigated here in order to provide information to address future research on nutrient mobility towards plant roots as biochar is applied as soil amendment. A poplar biochar has been stainless steel fractionated in three different textured fractions (1.0-2.0 mm, 0.3-1.0 mm and <0.3 mm, respectively). Water-saturated fractions were analyzed by fast field cycling (FFC) NMR relaxometry. Results proved that 3D exchange between bound and bulk water predominantly occurred in the coarsest fraction. However, as porosity decreased, water motion was mainly associated to a restricted 2D diffusion among the surface-site pores and the bulk-site ones. The X-ray μ-CT imaging analyses on the dry fractions revealed the lowest surface/volume ratio for the coarsest fraction, thereby corroborating the 3D water exchange mechanism hypothesized by FFC NMR relaxometry. However, multi-micrometer porosity was evidenced in all the samples. The latter finding suggested that the 3D exchange mechanism cannot even be neglected in the finest fraction as previously excluded only on the basis of NMR relaxometry results. X-ray μ-CT imaging showed heterogeneous distribution of inorganic materials inside all the fractions. The mineral components may contribute to the water relaxation mechanisms by FFC NMR relaxometry. Further studies are needed to understand the role of the inorganic particles on water dynamics.

lycopersici

Soil amendments like compost and biochar are known to affect soil properties, plant growth as well as soil borne plant pathogens. Complex interactions based on microbial activity and abiotic characteristics are supposed to be responsible for suppressive properties of certain substrates, however, the specific mechanisms of action are still widely unknown. In the present study, the main focus was on the development of the soil borne pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and changes in root exudates of tomato plants grown in different soil substrate compositions, such as compost (Comp) alone at application rate of 20% (v/v), and in combination with wood biochar (WB; made from beech wood chips) or green waste biochar (GWB; made from garden waste residues) at application rate of 3% (v/v), and/or with additional arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The association of GWB and AMF had a positive effect on tomato plants growth unlike to the plants grown in WB containing a soil substrate. The AMF root colonization was not enhanced by the addition of WB or GWB in the soil substrate, though a bio-protective effect of mycorrhization was evident in both biochar amended treatments against Fol. Compost and biochars altered root exudates differently, which is evident from variable response of in vitro growth and development of Fol. The microconidia germination was highest in root exudates from plants grown in the soil containing compost and GWB, whereas root exudates of plants from a substrate containing WB suppressed the mycelial growth and development of Fol. In conclusion, the plant growth response and disease suppression in biochar containing substrates with additional AMF was affected by the feedstock type. Moreover, application of compost and biochars in the soil influence the quality and composition of root exudates with respect to their effects on soil-dwelling fungi.

Role of Alumina and Montmorillonite in Changing the Sorption of Herbicides to Biochars

The influence of biochars on the fate of herbicides in soil depends mostly on environmental factors among which the role of soil minerals is not clear. Two wood-derived biochars produced at 400 °C (BC400) and 600 °C (BC600) were treated with alumina and montmorillonite to investigate their interaction with biochars and the influence of herbicide sorption. Both minerals exhibited a pore-expanding effect that was likely relative to the removal of authigenic organic matter away from the biochars' surface. Alumina brought more remarkable pore expansion by doubling the surface area of the BC400 biochar and the mesopore area of the BC600 biochar. Consequently, more adsorption sites were accessible for herbicide molecules, which resulted in higher sorption of herbicides (acetochlor and metribuzin) to the mineral-treated biochars than to the untreated biochars. The results are useful for understanding the change of surface and sorption properties of biochars with soil applications.

Engineered biochar from biofuel residue: characterization and its silver removal potential

A novel approach was used to prepare engineered biochar from biofuel residue (stillage from bagasse ethanol production) through slow pyrolysis. The obtained biochar was characterized for its physicochemical properties as well as silver sorption ability. Sorption experimental data showed that engineered biochar quickly and efficiently removed silver ion (Ag(+)) from aqueous solutions with a Langmuir maximum capacity of 90.06 mg/g. The high sorption of Ag(+) onto the biochar was attributed to both reduction and surface adsorption mechanisms. The reduction of Ag(+) by the biochar was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of the postsorption biochar, which clearly showed the presence of metallic silver nanoparticles on the surface of the carbon matrix. An antimicrobial ability test indicated that silver-laden biochar effectively inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, while the original biochar without silver nanoparticles promoted growth. Thus, biochar, prepared from biofuel residue materials, could be potentially applied not only to remove Ag(+) from aqueous solutions but also to produce a new value-added nanocomposite with antibacterial ability.

Acceleration of Biochar Surface Oxidation during Composting?

Biochar composting experiments were performed to determine whether composting is a suitable method to accelerate biochar surface oxidation for increasing its reactivity. To assess the results, surface properties of Terra Preta (Brazil) and ancient charcoal pit (Northern Italy) biochars were additionally investigated. Calculation of O/C ratios by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrated the anticipated increasing values from fresh biochars (0.13) to composted biochars (0.40), and finally charcoal pit biochars (0.54) and ancient Terra Preta biochars (0.64). By means of Fourier transformation infrared microscopy, formation of carboxylic and phenolic groups on biochars surface could be detected. Carboxylic acids of three composted biochars increased up to 14%, whereas one composted biochar showed a 21% lower proportion of carboxylic acids compared to the corresponding fresh biochar. Phenolic groups increased by 23% for the last mentioned biochar, and on all other biochars phenolic groups decreased up to 22%. Results showed that biochar surface oxidation can be accelerated through composting but still far away from ancient biochars.

Sorption and desorption of Cr(VI) ions from water by biochars in different environmental conditions

In the present research, the potential of two biochars produced by the thermal decomposition of wheat straw (BCS) and wicker (BCW) for Cr(VI) ions removing from wastewater was investigated. The pH and the presence of chlorides and nitrates were also investigated. The Freundlich and Langmuir models were applied for the characterization of adsorption isotherms. The Langmuir model has better fitting of adsorption isotherms than the Freundlich model. The sorption process can be described by the pseudo second-order equation. The optimal adsorption capacities were obtained at pH 2 and were 24.6 and 23.6 mg/g for BCS and BCW, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed that Cr(III) ions were the most abundant chromium species on the biochars' surface. The results indicated that the sorption mechanism of Cr(VI) on biochar involves anionic and cationic adsorption combined with Cr(VI) species reduction.

Pyrogenic organic matter production from wildfires: a missing sink in the global carbon cycle

Wildfires release substantial quantities of carbon (C) into the atmosphere but they also convert part of the burnt biomass into pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM). This is richer in C and, overall, more resistant to environmental degradation than the original biomass, and, therefore, PyOM production is an efficient mechanism for C sequestration. The magnitude of this C sink, however, remains poorly quantified, and current production estimates, which suggest that ~1-5% of the C affected by fire is converted to PyOM, are based on incomplete inventories. Here, we quantify, for the first time, the complete range of PyOM components found in-situ immediately after a typical boreal forest fire. We utilized an experimental high-intensity crown fire in a jack pine forest (Pinus banksiana) and carried out a detailed pre- and postfire inventory and quantification of all fuel components, and the PyOM (i.e., all visually charred, blackened materials) produced in each of them. Our results show that, overall, 27.6% of the C affected by fire was retained in PyOM (4.8 ± 0.8 t C ha(-1)), rather than emitted to the atmosphere (12.6 ± 4.5 t C ha(-1)). The conversion rates varied substantially between fuel components. For down wood and bark, over half of the C affected was converted to PyOM, whereas for forest floor it was only one quarter, and less than a tenth for needles. If the overall conversion rate found here were applicable to boreal wildfire in general, it would translate into a PyOM production of ~100 Tg C yr(-1) by wildfire in the global boreal regions, more than five times the amount estimated previously. Our findings suggest that PyOM production from boreal wildfires, and potentially also from other fire-prone ecosystems, may have been underestimated and that its quantitative importance as a C sink warrants its inclusion in the global C budget estimates.

Nutrient transformation during aerobic composting of pig manure with biochar prepared at different temperatures

The effects of the corn stalk charred biomass (CB) prepared at different pyrolysis temperatures as additives on nutrient transformation during aerobic composting of pig manure were investigated. The results showed that the addition of CB carbonized at different temperatures to pig manure compost significantly influenced the compost temperature, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter degradation, total nitrogen, [Formula: see text] and NH3 variations during composting. Compared with control and adding CB charred at lower temperature treatments, the addition of CB prepared over 700°C resulted in higher pH (over 9.2) and NH3 emission and lower potherb mustard seed germination index value during the thermophilic phase. Peak temperatures of composts appeared at 7 days for control and 11 days for CB added treatments. During 90 days composting, the organic matter degradation could be increased over 14.8-29.6% after adding of CB in the compost mixture. The introduction of CB in pig manure could prolong the thermophilic phase, inhibit moisture reduce, facilitate the organic matter decomposition, reduce diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) extractable Zn and Cu contents in pig manure composts and increase ryegrass growth. The study indicated that the corn stalk CB prepared around 500°C was a suitable additive in pig manure composting.

Mapping thermomechanical pulp sludge (TMPS) biochar characteristics for greenhouse produce safety

This study evaluates the existence of toxic compounds in thermomechanical pulp sludge (TMPS) derived biochars obtained through a slow pyrolysis process and establishes the criteria for manufacturing benign-quality biochar for safe greenhouse-based food production. Accordingly, nine TMPS biochars generated at different temperatures (450, 500, 550 °C) and residence times (30, 60, 120 min) were investigated. Depending on the production conditions, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sum varied from 0.4 to 236 μg/g biochar. Interestingly, correlations between the PAH content, toxicity, and process conditions were derived in the form of process toxicity relationships (PTRs). On the basis of the learning garnered in this study, it is recommended that TMPS feedstock will yield benign quality biochar when processed at a minimum 500 °C temperature for an optimum residence time of 30 min.

Recycling slaughterhouse waste into fertilizer: how do pyrolysis temperature and biomass additions affect phosphorus availability and chemistry?

BACKGROUND

Pyrolysis of slaughterhouse waste could promote more sustainable phosphorus (P) usage through the development of alternative P fertilizers. This study investigated how pyrolysis temperature (220, 350, 550 and 750 °C), rendering before pyrolysis, and wood or corn biomass additions affect P chemistry in bone char, plant availability, and its potential as P fertilizer.

RESULTS

Linear combination fitting of synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra demonstrated that higher pyrolysis temperatures decreased the fit with organic P references, but increased the fit with a hydroxyapatite (HA) reference, used as an indicator of high calcium phosphate (CaP) crystallinity. The fit to the HA reference increased from 0% to 69% in bone with meat residue and from 20% to 95% in rendered bone. Biomass additions to the bone with meat residue reduced the fit to the HA reference by 83% for wood and 95% for corn, and additions to rendered bone by 37% for wood. No detectable aromatic P forms were generated by pyrolysis. High CaP crystallinity was correlated with low water-extractable P, but high formic acid-extractable P indicative of high plant availability. Bone char supplied available P which was only 24% lower than Triple Superphosphate fertilizer and two- to five-fold higher than rock phosphate.

CONCLUSION

Pyrolysis temperature and biomass additions can be used to design P fertilizer characteristics of bone char through changing CaP crystallinity that optimize P availability to plants.

Biochar composts and composites

Research has shown that the carbon content of wastes decreases during composting with an increase in the nitrogen content. This indicates that the increased microbial activity in the process results in an increased mineralisation rate of organic nitrogen. A formula containing biochar in the form of terra preta, biochar bokashi, biochar glomalin, biochar hydrogel and biochar mokusaku-eki could further enhance the stability of the system and its effectiveness as a soil ameliorant. It could increase the cation exchange capacity, reuse crop residue, reduce runoff, reduce watering, reduce the quantity of fertiliser increase crop yield, build and multiply soil biodiversity, strengthen and rebuild our soil food web, sequester atmospheric carbon in a carbon negative process, increase soil pH, restructure poor soils, and reduce carbon dioxide/methane/ nitrous oxide/ammonia emissions from gardens and fields. This paper considers these claims and also the wider environmental implications of the adoption of these processes. The intention of this overview is not just to summarise current knowledge of the subject, but also to identify gaps in knowledge that require further research.

Characterization of bio-oil and biochar from high-temperature pyrolysis of sewage sludge

The influence of temperature (550-850°C) on the characteristics of bio-oil and biochar from the pyrolysis of sewage sludge (SS) in a horizontal tube reactor was investigated. Results showed that when the pyrolysis temperature increased from 550°C to 850°C, the yield of bio-oil decreased from 26.16% (dry ash-free basis) to 20.78% (dry ash-free basis). Main components of bio-oil were phenols, esters, cholests, ketones, amides, indoles, and nitriles. Besides, the elevated heating rate of 25°C/min was demonstrated to favour the complete combustion of bio-oil. Moreover, caused by the increase in temperature, the yield of biochar decreased from 54.9 to 50.6 wt%, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface area increased from 48.51 to 81.28 m2/g. Furthermore, pH was increased from 5.93 of SS to 7.15-8.96 of biochar. The negative ζ-potential was also strengthened (-13.87 to -11.30 mV) and principal functional groups on the surface of biochar were -OH, C=O, C=C, -NO2, and S=O.

Moench

Water being an essential component for plant growth and development, its scarcity poses serious threat to crops around the world. Climate changes and global warming are increasing the temperature of earth hence becoming an ultimate cause of water scarcity. It is need of the day to use potential soil amendments that could increase the plants' resistance under such situations. Biochar and gypsum were used in the present study to improve the water use efficiency (WUE) and growth of Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench (Lady's Finger). A 6 weeks experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions. Stress treatments were applied after 30 days of sowing. Plant height, leaf area, photosynthesis, transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance and WUE were determined weekly under stressed [60% field capacity (F.C.)] and non-stressed (100% F.C.) conditions. Stomatal conductance and Tr decreased and reached near to zero in stressed plants. Stressed plants also showed resistance to water stress upto 5 weeks and gradually perished at sixth week. On the other hand, WUE improved in stressed plants containing biochar and gypsum as compared to untreated plants. Biochar alone is a better strategy to promote plant growth and WUE specifically of A. esculentus, compared to its application in combination with gypsum.

Sorption of sulphamethoxazole by the biochars derived from rice straw and alligator flag

The sorption ability of sulphamethoxazole (SMX) by biochar derived from rice straw (RS) and alligator flag (AF) at 600°C was studied to assess the ability of biochar as adsorbent to remove SMX from aqueous solution. The results indicated that sorption of SMX by biochars was well described using the Langmuir equation (R2>0.94), and the maximum sorption parameter (Q) of RS (3650 mg kg(-1)) was much higher than that of AF (1963 mg kg(-1)). Temperature had no effect on SMX sorption by biochars, while thermodynamics analysis indicated that the sorption of SMX on both biochars was a spontaneous physical process. The d 250 RS (diameter of RS sieved through 250 µm) and d 150 AF (diameter of AF sieved through 150 µm) showed excellent sorption ability for SMX. The sorption amount of RS was larger than that of AF when pH<7, whereas, the sorption amount of AF surpassed RS when pH≥7. The presence of Cu2+ and/or Cd2+ ion at low concentrations (20 mg L(-1)) significantly (P<0.05) increased the sorption of SMX on both RS and AF. Our study confirms that biochar derived from the wetland plants could be used as effective adsorbents to remove SMX from aqueous solution.

Influence of soil biochar aging on sorption of the herbicides MCPA, nicosulfuron, terbuthylazine, indaziflam, and fluoroethyldiaminotriazine

Sorption of four herbicides and a metabolite of indaziflam on a fresh macadamia nut biochar and biochars aged one or two years in soil was characterized. On fresh biochar, the sorption was terbuthylazine (Kd = 595) > indaziflam (Kd = 162) > MCPA (Kd = 7.5) > fluoroethyldiaminotriazine (Kd = 0.26) and nicosulfuron (Kd = 0). Biochar surface area increased with aging attributed to the loss of a surface film. This was also manifested in a decline in water extractable organic carbon with aging. Correspondingly, an increase in the aromaticity was observed. The higher surface area and porosity in aged biochar increased sorption of indaziflam (KdBC-2yr = 237) and fluoroethyldiaminotriazine (KdBC-1yr = 1.2 and KdBC-2yr = 3.0), but interestingly decreased sorption of terbuthylazine (KdBC-1yr = 312 and KdBC-2yr = 221) and MCPA (KdBC-1yr = 2 and KdBC-2yr = 2). These results will facilitate development of biochars for specific remediation purposes.

Greenhouse gas emissions from passive composting of manure and digestate with crop residues and biochar on small-scale livestock farms in Vietnam

This study investigated the effects of different mixing ratios of crop residues and biochar with liquid digestate from anaerobically treated pig manure on CH₄, CO₂, and N₂O emissions over 84 days in a system of passive aeration composting, resembling typical Vietnamese solid manure storage conditions. Two treatments with solid manure were included for comparison. The results showed that C losses through CH4 and CO₂emissions accounted for 0.06-0.28% and 1.9-26.7%, respectively, of initial total C. CH4 losses accounted for just 0.4-4.0% of total C losses. Total N losses accounted for 27.1-40% of initial total N in which N₂O emissions corresponded to 0.01-0.57% of initial total N, and hence accounted for only 0.1-1.8% of total N losses. It is assumed that the remainder was either the result of denitrification losses to N₂or ammonia volatilization. The composting of biochar (B) or crop residue with digestate (D) showed significantly lower CH4 and N₂O emissions compared with composting manure (M) (p < .05). The composting of digestate with biochar showed significantly lower CO₂and CH₄emissions and significantly higher N₂O emissions compared to the composting of digestate with rice straw (RS) (p < .05). The combined composting of digestate with biochar and rice straw (D + B + RS5:0.3:1) showed significantly reduced N₂O emissions compared with composting digestate with biochar with alone (p < .05). Composting sugar cane bagasse (SC) with digestate (D + SC) significantly reduced CH₄and N₂O emissions compared with the composting of rice straw with digestate (D + RS3.5:1 and D + RS5:1) (p < .05).

Spectroscopic evidence for biochar amendment promoting humic acid synthesis and intensifying humification during composting

Despite the many benefits of biochar amendment in composting, little information is available about its effects on organic matter humification during the process. In this study the analytical results for two in-vessel composting piles were compared, one amended with biochar (VPSB, pig manure+sawdust+biochar) and the other serving as a control (VPS, pig manure+sawdust). During the 74 days of humification, the increased content of humic acid carbon in VPSB is 16.9% more than that of the control. Spectroscopic analyses show a higher O-alkyl C/alkyl C ratio and aromaticity in VPSB at the thermophilic phase, and peak intensities of fulvic-like and humic-like substances were achieved faster in VPSB than VPS. These data inferred that biochar amendment promoted the neo-synthesis of humic acids and intensified the humification of pig manure. Increase in carboxylic groups of biochar as a result of oxidation reactions and sorption of humic substances may correspond to the faster formation of aromatic polymers in biochar-supplemented composting pile. The results suggest that biochar amendment might be a potential method to enhance humification during pig manure composting.