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Biochar-induced changes in soil properties affected immobilization/mobilization of metals/metalloids in contaminated soils

  • Biochar for a Sustainable Environment
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Remediation of metal contaminated soil with biochar is attracting extensive interest in recent years. Understanding the significance of variable biochar properties and soil types helps elucidating the meticulous roles of biochar in immobilizing/mobilizing metals/metalloids in contaminated soils.

Materials and methods

Six biochars were produced from widely available agricultural wastes (i.e., soybean stover, peanut shells and pine needles) at two pyrolysis temperatures of 300 and 700 °C, respectively. The Pb-, Cu-, and Sb-contaminated shooting range soils and Pb-, Zn-, and As-contaminated agricultural soils were amended with the produced biochars. The mobility of metals/metalloids was assessed by the standard batch leaching test, principal component analysis and speciation modeling.

Results and discussion

The changes in soil properties were correlated to feedstock types and pyrolysis temperatures of biochars based on the principal component analysis. Biochars produced at 300 °C were more efficient in decreasing Pb and Cu mobility (>93 %) in alkaline shooting range soil via surface complexation with carboxyl groups and Fe-/Al-minerals of biochars as well as metal-phosphates precipitation. By contrast, biochars produced at 700 °C outperformed their counterparts in decreasing Pb and Zn mobility (100 %) in acidic agricultural soil by metal-hydroxides precipitation due to biochar-induced pH increase. However, Sb and As mobility in both soils was unfavorably increased by biochar amendment, possibly due to the enhanced electrostatic repulsion and competition with phosphate.

Conclusions

It is noteworthy that the application of biochars is not equally effective in immobilizing metals or mobilizing metalloids in different soils. We should apply biochar to multi-metal contaminated soil with great caution and tailor biochar production for achieving desired outcome and avoiding adverse impact on soil ecosystem.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2015R1A2A2A11001432).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Korea

    Mahtab Ahmad, Sang Soo Lee & Yong Sik Ok

  2. Soil Sciences Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Mahtab Ahmad & Mohammad I. Al-Wabel

  3. School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Korea

    Sung Eun Lee

  4. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Daniel C. W. Tsang

Authors
  1. Mahtab Ahmad
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  2. Sang Soo Lee
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  3. Sung Eun Lee
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  4. Mohammad I. Al-Wabel
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  5. Daniel C. W. Tsang
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  6. Yong Sik Ok
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Daniel C. W. Tsang or Yong Sik Ok.

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Responsible editor: Jianming Xu

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Ahmad, M., Lee, S.S., Lee, S.E. et al. Biochar-induced changes in soil properties affected immobilization/mobilization of metals/metalloids in contaminated soils. J Soils Sediments 17, 717–730 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1339-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-015-1339-4

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