Does biochar application in heavy metal-contaminated soils affect soil micronutrient dynamics?

Qiao Xu; Qiuyue Xu; Hong Zhu; Hui Li; Weiqin Yin; Ke Feng; Shengsen Wang; Xiaozhi Wang

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133349

Does biochar application in heavy metal-contaminated soils affect soil micronutrient dynamics?

Chemosphere. 2022 Mar:290:133349. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133349. Epub 2021 Dec 21.

Authors

Qiao Xu¹, Qiuyue Xu², Hong Zhu², Hui Li³, Weiqin Yin², Ke Feng⁴, Shengsen Wang⁴, Xiaozhi Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China.
³ Yangzhou Environmental Protection Bureau, Yangzhou, 225002, PR China.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing, 210095, PR China.
⁵ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing, 210095, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China. Electronic address: xzwang@yzu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34952018
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133349

Abstract

Biochar has been practically used as a soil conditioner in degraded or contaminated soils. Whether biochar would simultaneously affect soil micronutrient bioavailability in heavy metal-contaminated soils warrants research. A 90-d incubation of rice straw biochar with either Pb- or Cd-contaminated soils was conducted to investigate the biochar effect on Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn bioavailability. Biochar amendment decreased the DTPA-extractable, acid extractable and reducible Pb and Cd but increased the oxidizable and residual Pb and Cd. It decreased the DTPA-extractable Fe by 73.8% and 23.1% but increased the DTPA-extractable Mn by 9.8% and 44.3% in the neutral and acidic soil, respectively. The lower Fe availability was attributed to the liming effect and the increased numbers of oxygen-containing groups and organic-mineral phases of biochar over time. Biochar amendment increased soil bacterial richness and diversity in both soils. Rice straw biochar can effectively immobilize heavy metals and reduce soil Fe bioavailability but increase Mn bioavailability, which would potentially affect soil micronutrient fertility and productivity.

Keywords: Biochar aging; Heavy metal mobility; IIIumina miseq; Micronutrient bioavailability; Microscopic characterization.

MeSH terms

Cadmium / analysis
Charcoal
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Micronutrients
Soil
Soil Pollutants* / analysis

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Micronutrients
Soil
Soil Pollutants
biochar
Cadmium
Charcoal