Effect of biochar on the extractability of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and enzyme activity in soil

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2016-01, Vol.23 (2), p.974-984
• Main Authors: Yang, Xing, Liu, Jingjing, McGrouther, Kim, Huang, Huagang, Lu, Kouping, Guo, Xi, He, Lizhi, Lin, Xiaoming, Che, Lei, Ye, Zhengqian, Wang, Hailong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid phosphatase; Acidic soils; adsorbents; application rate; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; bamboos; Bioavailability; biochar; Biological Availability; biomass; Cadmium; Cadmium - isolation & purification; Calcium chloride; Carbon; Catalase; Cation exchange; cation exchange capacity; Charcoal; Contaminants; Copper; Copper - isolation & purification; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecological Assessment and Remediation (CLEAR 2014) Conference: Environmental Pollution and Remediation; Ecotoxicology; Electrical conductivity; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Enzymatic activity; enzyme activity; Enzymes; Experiments; Heavy metals; Laboratories; Land pollution; Lead; Lead - isolation & purification; long term effects; Metal concentrations; Metals, Heavy - isolation & purification; Organic carbon; Organic phosphorus; Organic soils; Oryza - chemistry; paddy soils; Particle size; Phosphatase; Phosphorus; Physicochemical properties; Pyrolysis; Raw materials; Remediation; Rice; Rice fields; Rice straw; Sandy loam; sandy loam soils; Sandy soils; Selected Papers from the 2nd Contaminated Land; Soil - chemistry; Soil amendment; Soil contamination; Soil Pollutants - isolation & purification; Soil pollution; soil quality; Soil remediation; soil sampling; Soils; Straw; temperature; Urease; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Zinc; Zinc - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4233-0

Biochar is a carbon-rich solid material derived from the pyrolysis of agricultural and forest residual biomass. Previous studies have shown that biochar is suitable as an adsorbent for soil contaminants such as heavy metals and consequently reduces their bioavailability. However, the long-term effect of different biochars on metal extractability or soil health has not been assessed. Therefore, a 1-year incubation experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of biochar produced from bamboo and rice straw (at temperatures ≥500 °C) on the heavy metal (cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) extractability and enzyme activity (urease, catalase, and acid phosphatase) in a contaminated sandy loam paddy soil. Three rates (0, 1, and 5 %) and two mesh sizes (