Impact of Biochar Amendment on Soil Properties and Organic Matter Composition in Trace Element-Contaminated Soil

José M. De la Rosa, Arturo Santa-Olalla, Paloma Campos, Rafael López-Núñez, José A. González-Pérez, Gonzalo Almendros, Heike E. Knicker, Águeda Sánchez-Martín and Elena Fernández-Boy
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José M. De la Rosa: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av. 10., 41012 Seville, Spain
Arturo Santa-Olalla: Microal S.L., Castilleja de la Cuesta Av., 5, 41110 Bollullos de la Mitación, Spain
Paloma Campos: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av. 10., 41012 Seville, Spain
Rafael López-Núñez: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av. 10., 41012 Seville, Spain
José A. González-Pérez: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av. 10., 41012 Seville, Spain
Gonzalo Almendros: Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (MNCN-CSIC). Serrano 115b., 28006 Madrid, Spain
Heike E. Knicker: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av. 10., 41012 Seville, Spain
Águeda Sánchez-Martín: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av. 10., 41012 Seville, Spain
Elena Fernández-Boy: Departamento de Cristalografía, Mineralogía y Química Agrícola, Universidad de Sevilla, c/Profesor García González 1, 41012 Seville, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: The application of biochar as an organic amendment in polluted soils can facilitate their recovery by reducing the availability of contaminants. In the present work, the effect of biochar application to acid soils contaminated by heavy metal spillage is studied to assess its effect on the quantity and composition of soil organic matter (SOM), with special attention given to soil humic acids (HAs). This effect is poorly known and of great importance, as HA is one of the most active components of SOM. The field experiment was carried out in 12 field plots of fluvisols, with moderate and high contamination by trace elements (called MAS and AS, respectively), that are located in the Guadiamar Green Corridor (SW Spain), which were amended with 8 Mg·ha −1 of olive pit biochar (OB) and rice husk biochar (RB). The results indicate that 22 months after biochar application, a noticeable increase in soil water holding capacity, total organic carbon content, and soil pH were observed. The amounts of oxidisable carbon (C) and extracted HAs in the soils were not altered due to biochar addition. Thermogravimetric analyses of HAs showed an increase in the abundance of the most thermostable OM fraction of the MAS (375–650 °C), whereas the HAs of AS were enriched in the intermediate fraction (200–375 °C). Spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses indicate that the addition of biochar did not alter the composition of the organic fraction of HAs, while Cu, Fe, and as were considerably accumulated at HAs.

Keywords: pyrogenic C; soil organic matter; humic acids; heavy metals; carbon sequestration; degraded soil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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