Batch experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that nitrate (NO3-) could be immobilized by biochar via adsorption of CaNO3+ to the negatively charged biochar surfaces. The results show that addition of soluble Ca in both aqueous and soil systems enabled NO3- retention by the biochar material. Increase in the added Ca enhanced the retention rate and the optimal NO3- retention was gained at a Ca/NO3 molar ratio of 2 for the aqueous system. For the soil system, the Ca/NO3 molar ratio required to attain the optimal NO3- retention was much greater due to competition of other soil-borne ligands and soil colloids for the available Ca. At the same level of added Ca, the amount of NO3- being retained tended to increase with increasing dose of the biochar. More NO3- was retained in the soil system than in the aqueous system at the same dosage level of biochar due to additional adsorption of CaNO3+ by negatively changed soil organic and inorganic colloids. The findings obtained from this study have implications for developing effective methods for reducing NO3- leaching from soils.
Keywords: Adsorption; Biochar; Calcium; Nitrate retention; Soil.
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