Characteristics of organo-mineral complexes in contaminated soils with long-term biochar application

Guixiang Quan; Qinya Fan; Jianxiong Sun; Liqiang Cui; Hailong Wang; Bin Gao; Jinlong Yan

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121265

Characteristics of organo-mineral complexes in contaminated soils with long-term biochar application

J Hazard Mater. 2020 Feb 15:384:121265. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121265. Epub 2019 Sep 23.

Authors

Guixiang Quan¹, Qinya Fan², Jianxiong Sun², Liqiang Cui³, Hailong Wang⁴, Bin Gao⁵, Jinlong Yan⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051, China; Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
² School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051, China; School of The Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.
³ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051, China.
⁴ School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China; Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311300, China.
⁵ Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
⁶ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051, China. Electronic address: yjlyt@ycit.cn.

PMID: 31581012
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121265

Abstract

Long-term studies on the environmental effects following biochar additions to soils, while plentiful, are predominantly focused on the soil fertility, whereas few are on the soil organo-mineral complexes. This study examines the changes of organo-mineral complexes in an acidic paddy soil and a saline-alkali soil which were remediated using biochar for approximately 8 years and 3 years, respectively. The results showed that loosely combined humus increased by 30.1% and 25.1% with the application of 40 t ha^-1 biochar in the acidic paddy soil and the saline-alkali soil, respectively. Meanwhile, an increase of cement (Fe-oxides) was the contributor to the rise of the complexes content. Complex iron in the saline-alkali soil were 30% higher than in the acidic paddy soil with the application of 40 t ha^-1 biochar. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of the biochar separated from the remediated field. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that both complexation and sedimentation were involved in heavy metal immobilization. It was found that biochar amendment mitigated the effect of acid rain leaching and reduced vertical migration of the Fe/Al-bound complex, which can prevent soil from podzolization and thus improve its fertility.

Keywords: Biochar; Combined forms of humus; Organo-mineral complexes; Soil remediator; Vertical migrations.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aluminum / chemistry
Calcium / chemistry
Charcoal / chemistry*
Clay / chemistry
Iron / chemistry
Oxides / chemistry
Soil / chemistry*

Substances

Oxides
Soil
biochar
Charcoal
Aluminum
Iron
Calcium
Clay