1
|
Kravchenko E, Dela Cruz TL, Sushkova S, Rajput VD. Effect of wood and peanut shell hydrochars on the desiccation cracking characteristics of clayey soils. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142134. [PMID: 38677609 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Soil cracking can significantly alter the water and nutrient migration pathways in the soil, influencing plant growth and development. While biochar usage has effectively addressed soil cracking, the feasibility of using less energy-intensive hydrochars in desiccating soils remains unexplored. This study investigates the impact of wood and peanut shell hydrochars on the desiccation cracking characteristics of clayey soil. A series of controlled environmental laboratory incubations with regular imaging was conducted to determine crack development's dynamic in unamended and hydrochar-amended soils. The results reveal that the addition of wood hydrochar at 2% and 4% dosage reduced the crack intensity factor (CIF) by 22% and 43%, respectively, compared to the unamended control soil. Similarly, the inclusion of peanut shell hydrochar at 2% and 4% lowered the CIF by 22% and 51%, respectively. The presence of hydrophilic groups on the surface of hydrochars, such as O-H, CH, and C-O-C, enhanced the water retention capacity, as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared analysis. The CIF decrease is attributed to mitigated water evaporation rates, enabled by enhanced water retention within the hydrochar pore spaces. These findings are supported by scanning electron microscopy analyses of the hydrochar morphology. Despite CIF reduction with hydrochar incorporation, the crack length density (CLD) increased across all hydrochar-amended series. In contrast to unamended soil which exhibited pronounced widening of large cracks and extensive inter-pore voids, the incorporation of hydrochar resulted in higher CLD due to the formation of finer interconnecting crack meshes. Consequently, the unamended control soil suffered greater water loss due to heightened evaporation rates. This study sheds new light on the potential of hydrochars in addressing desiccation-induced soil cracking and its implications for water conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kravchenko
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China; Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation.
| | - Trishia Liezl Dela Cruz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Vishnu D Rajput
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kravchenko E, Dela Cruz TL, Chen XW, Wong MH. Ecological consequences of biochar and hydrochar amendments in soil: assessing environmental impacts and influences. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:42614-42639. [PMID: 38900405 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33807-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have caused irreversible consequences on our planet, including climate change and environmental pollution. Nevertheless, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and capturing carbon can mitigate global warming. Biochar and hydrochar are increasingly used for soil remediation due to their stable adsorption qualities. As soil amendments, these materials improve soil quality and reduce water loss, prevent cracking and shrinkage, and interact with microbial communities, resulting in a promising treatment method for reducing gas emissions from the top layer of soil. However, during long-term studies, contradictory results were found, suggesting that higher biochar application rates led to higher soil CO2 effluxes, biodiversity loss, an increase in invasive species, and changes in nutrient cycling. Hydrochar, generated through hydrothermal carbonization, might be less stable when introduced into the soil, which could lead to heightened GHG emissions due to quicker carbon breakdown and increased microbial activity. On the other hand, biochar, created via pyrolysis, demonstrates stability and can beneficially impact GHG emissions. Biochar could be the preferred red option for carbon sequestration purposes, while hydrochar might be more advantageous for use as a gas adsorbent. This review paper highlights the ecological impact of long-term applications of biochar and hydrochar in soil. In general, using these materials as soil amendments helps establish a sustainable pool of organic carbon, decreasing atmospheric GHG concentration and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kravchenko
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Soil Health Laboratory, Southern Federal University, Rostov-On-Don, Russia
| | - Trishia Liezl Dela Cruz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xun Wen Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Research Centre for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, Department of Ecology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Ming Hung Wong
- Soil Health Laboratory, Southern Federal University, Rostov-On-Don, Russia.
- Consortium On Health, Environment, Education, and Research (CHEER), The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pavlicevic M, Abdelraheem W, Zuverza-Mena N, O’Keefe T, Mukhtar S, Ridge G, Ranciato J, Haynes C, Elmer W, Pignatello J, Pagano L, Caldara M, Marmiroli M, Maestri E, Marmiroli N, White JC. Engineered Nanoparticles, Natural Nanoclay and Biochar, as Carriers of Plant-Growth Promoting Bacteria. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:4474. [PMID: 36558327 PMCID: PMC9783841 DOI: 10.3390/nano12244474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The potential of biochar and nanoparticles to serve as effective delivery agents for beneficial bacteria to crops was investigated. Application of nanoparticles and biochar as carriers for beneficial bacteria improved not only the amount of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria in soil, but also improved chlorophyll content (1.2-1.3 times), cell viability (1.1-1.5 times), and antioxidative properties (1.1-1.4 times) compared to control plants. Treatments also improved content of phosphorus (P) (1.1-1.6 times) and nitrogen (N) (1.1-1.4 times higher) in both tomato and watermelon plants. However, the effect of biochars and nanoparticles were species-specific. For example, chitosan-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles with adsorbed bacteria increased the phosphorus content in tomato by 1.2 times compared to a 1.1-fold increase when nanoclay with adsorbed bacteria was applied. In watermelon, the situation was reversed: 1.1-fold increase in the case of chitosan-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles and 1.2 times in case of nanoclay with adsorbed bacteria. Our findings demonstrate that use of nanoparticles and biochar as carriers for beneficial bacteria significantly improved plant growth and health. These findings are useful for design and synthesis of novel and sustainable biofertilizer formulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milica Pavlicevic
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Wael Abdelraheem
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt
| | | | - Tana O’Keefe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Salma Mukhtar
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Gale Ridge
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - John Ranciato
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Christy Haynes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Wade Elmer
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Joseph Pignatello
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Luca Pagano
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marina Caldara
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Marta Marmiroli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Elena Maestri
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Center SITEIA.PARMA, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Nelson Marmiroli
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
- Interdepartmental Center SITEIA.PARMA, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
- National Interuniversity Consortium for Environmental Sciences (CINSA), 43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Jason C. White
- Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Biochar Amendments Improve Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) Growth and Nutrient Uptake under Salt Stress. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10102135. [PMID: 34685945 PMCID: PMC8539127 DOI: 10.3390/plants10102135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) is a salt and drought tolerant legume suitable for rehabilitating abandoned saline lands, especially in dry arid regions. We hypothesized that soil amended with maize-derived biochar might alleviate salt stress in licorice by improving its growth, nutrient acquisition, and root system adaptation. Experiments were designed to determine the effect of different biochar concentrations on licorice growth parameters, acquisition of C (carbon), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) and on soil enzyme activities under saline and non-saline soil conditions. Pyrolysis char from maize (600 °C) was used at concentrations of 2% (B2), 4% (B4), and 6% (B6) for pot experiments. After 40 days, biochar improved the shoot and root biomass of licorice by 80 and 41% under saline soil conditions. However, B4 and B6 did not have a significant effect on shoot growth. Furthermore, increased nodule numbers of licorice grown at B4 amendment were observed under both non-saline and saline conditions. The root architectural traits, such as root length, surface area, project area, root volume, and nodulation traits, also significantly increased by biochar application at both B2 and B4. The concentrations of N and K in plant tissue increased under B2 and B4 amendments compared to the plants grown without biochar application. Moreover, the soil under saline conditions amended with biochar showed a positive effect on the activities of soil fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, proteases, and acid phosphomonoesterases. Overall, this study demonstrated the beneficial effects of maize-derived biochar on growth and nutrient uptake of licorice under saline soil conditions by improving nodule formation and root architecture, as well as soil enzyme activity.
Collapse
|