Location: Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research
Project Number: 2054-12000-011-002-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2015
End Date: Jul 31, 2020
Objective:
Development of improved designer biochar technologies to restore soil health for a large area of mine wastes degraded soils.
Approach:
We will use a multidisciplinary approach comprising soil scientists, field engineers and remediation specialists to develop and evaluate the designer biochar products and manufacture technologies.
We will follow a 6 step approach:
1. soil collection and characterization: Collect and characterize on-site soils for subsequent plot establishment.
2. Soil extraction using simulated rainwater or EPA Method 1312: Characterization of the extractant for pH, salt content, dissolved organic carbon, and metals.
3. Biochar production: various feedstocks will be pyrolyzed at 300, 500 and 700 °C.
4. Biochar Characterization for altering soil and soil-water properties: Biochars will be mixed with either soil or soil filtrates to observe biochar effects on pH, salt content, dissolved organic carbon, and metals.
5. Greenhouse biochar plant growth studies: plants will be grown in soil amended with a low, medium, and high rate of biochar. Plants will be grown in pvc tubes that allow leachate to be collected. Plants will be grown to full maturity. Leachates will be collected periodically, plants will be harvested at the end of the study, and soils will be collected at the end of the study; pH, salt content, dissolved organic carbon and total carbon, and metal content will be determined on all three.
6. Field-scale trials: Field scale trials will be established based on the above findings. Plant growth, soil temperature, moisture, pH, salt content, dissolved organic carbon, plant nutrients, soil water content, and metals will be determined.
