ArticleOriginal scientific text

Title

The effectiveness of biochar in mitigating changes in the chemical properties of sandy soil treated with various chemicals

Authors 1, 1, 2, 1, 3, 4,

Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Cracow, Poland
  2. Department of Mineralogy, Petrography and Geochemistry, AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Cracow, Poland
  3. Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
  4. Institute Plant Production and Protection, Austral University of Chile, Chile
  5. Laboratory of Environmental Protection, Nowy Wisnicz, Poland

Abstract

The progressive degradation of soils is a recently increasing environmental problem. The risk of soil degradation may be associated, for example, with landslides, flooding, soil erosion. However, these are relatively rare phenomena compared to the risk of chemical degradation caused by human activity. Given the limited research on the positive effect of miscanthus biochar on soil properties, a study was carried out aimed at determining changes in pH, electrical conductivity, sorption properties, and mobility of selected heavy metals in sandy soil treated with various chemicals. Biochar used in the study was produced at a temperature of 300°C. The addition of biochar to soil generally increased the pH value, regardless of the type of chemical degradation. The study revealed a decrease in the hydrolytic acidity value and, at the same time, no significant changes in the content of alkaline cations and sorption capacity of the biochar-treated soil. The best effect on reducing the mobility of trace elements was achieved by adding biochar to the soil supplemented with acidifying substances. Bearing in mind the current agricultural and environmental problems, there is a need to increase the effectiveness of biochar and to direct its action to improve specific soil properties.

Keywords

biochar, soil, sorption complex, pH, electrical conductivity, heavy metal
Pages:
1045-1058
Main language of publication
English
Published
2020
Exact and natural sciences