Designer biochars: emerging waste management technology for agricultural productivity and soil remediation

Authors: Sigua, Gilbert; Novak, Jeffrey

Submitted to: International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Waste production and waste management are major problems in our society, and these require urgent action at all level of our society. Promotion of innovative and appropriate technologies is necessary to achieve sound and sustainable waste management. Effective waste management is expensive, often requiring integrated systems that are efficient, sustainable, and socially supported. Biochar production using pyrolysis technology is an emerging waste management alternative to utilize most urban, agricultural or forestry biomass residues, including wood chips, corn stover, rice or peanut hulls, tree bark, paper mill sludge, animal manure, and many other recycled organic materials for agricultural productivity and soil remediation. Our results supported our hypothesis that addition of different designer biochars will have variable effects on biomass and nutrient uptake of winter wheat. Overall, our results showed promising significance for improving soil fertility and tilth of Norfolk’s hard setting subsoil layer since biochars did improve the aboveground, belowground and total biomass of winter wheat. Moreover, our results suggest that phytostabilization when combined with designer biochar and manure-based compost application have the potential for the remediation of heavy metals polluted soils.

Technical Abstract: The rapid population growth, urbanization, and modernization occurring worldwide have resulted in a significant increase of waste generated. Waste production is a major environmental problem in our society. In fact, recycling and using raw materials from the waste we generate are some of the environmental challenges that we face today. Promotion of innovative and appropriate technologies is necessary to achieve sound and sustainable waste management. Biochar production using pyrolysis technology can utilize most urban, agricultural or forestry biomass residues, including wood chips, corn stover, rice or peanut hulls, tree bark, paper mill sludge, animal manure, and many other recycled organic materials. Biochar is the solid product from pyrolysis of agricultural wastes and organic materials. Biochars as specialized soil amendments can provide multifunctional roles with remarkable agronomic and environmental significance. Our laboratory biochars studies demonstrated the favorable and beneficial effects of different designer biochars on biomass productivity and nutrient uptake of winter wheat grown in Norfolk soils with hard setting subsoil layer. Application of 80:20 blends of pine chips and poultry litters biochar was found to be superior over other blends of biochars because of its promising effects on biomass productivity and nutrient uptake of winter wheat. Our greenhouse research investigations have also confirmed that biochars have binding mechanisms to sequester metals. Recently, biochars ability to sequester metals has caught the attention of the mine reclamation sector. It is proposed that biochar is a suitable amendment to remediate heavy metals in mine spoils, as well as improve chemical conditions for enhanced plant growth. Better plant growth will improve phytostabilization, increase containment of metal-laden sediment, while also reducing potential metal uptake by plants. As such, utilization of a biochar with appropriate chemical and physical characteristics is crucial for effective binding of heavy metals while also improving plant growth conditions in the mine spoils.