Glory and misery of biochar

Biochar refers to carbon-based dusty residues obtained from biomass pyrolysis. This recently rediscovered traditional soil improver is currently being glorified for its wide portfolio of favorable environmental aspects. With its lifetime of several centuries, it is being widely accepted as a promising method of carbon sequestration. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that biochar can reduce bioavailability of some heavy metals and that it has a high adsorption capacity to persistent organic pollutants. These effects are explained by a complex of physical, chemical and biological mechanisms. Besides agriculture, it has been currently used in food and chemical industries, as well as in the building industry. Many other promising applications are under investigation. However, contrary to many enthusiastic proclamations, no revolution in agriculture or environmental management is taking place. Despite significant achievements in reduction of biochar production costs, high demand from the industry and energy sector keeps the biochar price still high, which prevents a return of the ancient farming practice on a commercial scale.

[1]  Y. Hatate,et al.  Removal of nitrate-nitrogen from drinking water using bamboo powder charcoal. , 2004, Bioresource technology.

[2]  M. Leach,et al.  Green grabs and biochar: Revaluing African soils and farming in the new carbon economy , 2012 .

[3]  Johannes Lehmann,et al.  Biological nitrogen fixation by common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) increases with bio-char additions , 2007, Biology and Fertility of Soils.

[4]  Jun Jiang,et al.  Adsorption of Pb(II) on variable charge soils amended with rice-straw derived biochar. , 2012, Chemosphere.

[5]  Y. Inoue,et al.  Biochar amendment techniques for upland rice production in Northern Laos 1. Soil physical properties, leaf SPAD and grain yield , 2009 .

[6]  Paul Munroe,et al.  An investigation into the reactions of biochar in soil , 2010 .

[7]  M. Rillig,et al.  Characteristics of Biochar: Biological Properties , 2012 .

[8]  G. Sheng,et al.  Enhanced pesticide sorption by soils containing particulate matter from crop residue burns. , 2003, Environmental science & technology.

[9]  E. Paul,et al.  Soil microbiology, ecology, and biochemistry , 2015 .

[10]  Johannes Lehmann,et al.  A handful of carbon , 2007, Nature.

[11]  C. Atkinson,et al.  Potential mechanisms for achieving agricultural benefits from biochar application to temperate soils: a review , 2010, Plant and Soil.

[12]  Ajay K. Dalai,et al.  Steam and KOH activation of biochar : Experimental and modeling studies , 2008 .

[13]  N. Borchard,et al.  Physical activation of biochar and its meaning for soil fertility and nutrient leaching – a greenhouse experiment , 2012 .

[14]  Radka Vaníčková,et al.  Techno-economic assessment of processing the cellulose casings waste , 2015, Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy.

[15]  S. Sohi.  BIOCHAR, CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOIL: A REVIEW TO GUIDE FUTURE RESEARCH , 2009 .

[16]  M. Velde,et al.  A quantitative review of the effects of biochar application to soils on crop productivity using meta-analysis , 2011 .

[17]  David A. Laird,et al.  The Charcoal Vision : A Win – Win – Win Scenario for Simultaneously Producing Bioenergy , Permanently Sequestering Carbon , while Improving Soil and Water Quality , 2008 .

[18]  John M. Baker,et al.  Ethylene: potential key for biochar amendment impacts , 2010, Plant and Soil.

[19]  N. Bolan,et al.  Biochar as a sorbent for contaminant management in soil and water: a review. , 2014, Chemosphere.

[20]  Anna Smetanova,et al.  Influence of biochar and terra preta substrates on wettability and erodibility of soils , 2013 .

[21]  L. van Zwieten,et al.  Contrasting effects of manure and green waste biochars on the properties of an acidic ferralsol and productivity of a subtropical pasture , 2012, Plant and Soil.

[22]  Dandan Zhou,et al.  Transitional adsorption and partition of nonpolar and polar aromatic contaminants by biochars of pine needles with different pyrolytic temperatures. , 2008, Environmental science & technology.

[23]  L. Van Zwieten,et al.  Biochar Application to Soil: Agronomic and Environmental Benefits and Unintended Consequences , 2011 .

[24]  Petr Braun,et al.  Analysis of Czech Subsidies for Solid Biofuels , 2015 .

[25]  Baoliang Chen,et al.  Sorption of naphthalene and 1-naphthol by biochars of orange peels with different pyrolytic temperatures. , 2009, Chemosphere.

[26]  A. Zimmerman,et al.  Abiotic and microbial oxidation of laboratory-produced black carbon (biochar). , 2010, Environmental science & technology.

[27]  M. Zhang,et al.  Hydrogen peroxide modification enhances the ability of biochar (hydrochar) produced from hydrothermal carbonization of peanut hull to remove aqueous heavy metals: Batch and column tests , 2012 .

[28]  Josef Maroušek,et al.  Use of continuous pressure shockwaves apparatus in rapeseed oil processing , 2013, Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy.

[29]  Simona Hasková,et al.  Holistic Assessment and Ethical Disputation on a New Trend in Solid Biofuels , 2017, Sci. Eng. Ethics.

[30]  Josef Maroušek,et al.  Economically oriented process optimization in waste management , 2014, Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

[31]  F. Breusegem,et al.  Towards a carbon-negative sustainable bio-based economy , 2013, Front. Plant Sci..

[32]  Jaewoo Chung,et al.  Biochar reduces the bioavailability and phytotoxicity of heavy metals , 2011, Plant and Soil.

[33]  K. Semple,et al.  Impact of black carbon in the extraction and mineralization of phenanthrene in soil. , 2008, Environmental science & technology.

[34]  Hongbin Liu,et al.  Effects of Feedstock and Pyrolysis Temperature on Biochar Adsorption of Ammonium and Nitrate , 2014, PloS one.

[35]  Ling Zhao,et al.  Heterogeneity of biochar properties as a function of feedstock sources and production temperatures. , 2013, Journal of hazardous materials.

[36]  M. Velde,et al.  Biochar Application to Soils - A Critical Scientific Review of Effects on Soil Properties, Processes and Functions , 2010 .

[37]  Hongyan Jin.  Characterization Of Microbial Life Colonizing Biochar And Biochar-Amended Soils , 2010 .

[38]  H. Shao,et al.  Biochar had effects on phosphorus sorption and desorption in three soils with differing acidity , 2014 .

[39]  Josef Maroušek,et al.  Significant breakthrough in biochar cost reduction , 2014, Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy.

[40]  S. De Neve,et al.  Interactions between biochar stability and soil organisms: review and research needs , 2013 .

[41]  Xinde Cao,et al.  Properties of dairy-manure-derived biochar pertinent to its potential use in remediation. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[42]  V. Bailey,et al.  Reconciling apparent variability in effects of biochar amendment on soil enzyme activities by assay optimization , 2011 .

[43]  Bruce A. McCarl,et al.  Economics of Biochar Production, Utilization and Greenhouse Gas Offsets , 2012 .

[44]  M. McBride,et al.  Adsorption of copper and zinc by biochars produced from pyrolysis of hardwood and corn straw in aqueous solution. , 2011, Bioresource technology.

[45]  Caroline A. Masiello,et al.  Biochar effects on soil biota – A review , 2011 .

[46]  Masami Ueno,et al.  Methods for Improving Methane Yield from Rye Straw , 2012 .

[47]  C. Moreno-Castilla,et al.  Carbon materials as adsorbents in aqueous solutions , 2000 .

[48]  Weixiang Wu,et al.  Evaluation of Biochar Effects on Nitrogen Retention and Leaching in Multi-Layered Soil Columns , 2010 .

[49]  Robert Zeman,et al.  Managerial Preferences in Relation to Financial Indicators Regarding the Mitigation of Global Change , 2015, Sci. Eng. Ethics.

[50]  Winfried E. H. Blum,et al.  Long term effects of manure, charcoal and mineral fertilization on crop production and fertility on a highly weathered Central Amazonian upland soil , 2007, Plant and Soil.

[51]  R. Tseng,et al.  Characterization and use of high surface area activated carbons prepared from cane pith for liquid-phase adsorption. , 2006, Journal of hazardous materials.

[52]  Yasuyuki Okimori,et al.  Pioneering works in biochar research, Japan , 2010 .

[53]  J. Lehmann.  Bio-energy in the black , 2007 .

[54]  James C. Arnott,et al.  A COMPARISON OF VARIABLE ECONOMIC COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TWO PROPOSED BIOCHAR APPLICATION METHODS , 2010 .

[55]  Petr Braun,et al.  Holistic approach to improve the energy utilization of Jatropha curcas L , 2014 .

[56]  S. Sohi,et al.  A review of biochar and its use and function in soil , 2010 .

[57]  P. Pullammanappallil,et al.  Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution by biochars derived from anaerobically digested biomass. , 2012, Bioresource technology.

[58]  Vladimir Strezov,et al.  Influence of pyrolysis temperature on production and nutrient properties of wastewater sludge biochar. , 2011, Journal of environmental management.

[59]  K. T. Klasson,et al.  Influence of pyrolysis temperature on biochar property and function as a heavy metal sorbent in soil. , 2011, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[60]  Robert Zeman,et al.  Polemics on Ethical Aspects in the Compost Business , 2016, Sci. Eng. Ethics.

[61]  Gareth Edwards-Jones,et al.  Biochar-mediated changes in soil quality and plant growth in a three year field trial , 2012 .

[62]  L. Beesley,et al.  A review of biochars' potential role in the remediation, revegetation and restoration of contaminated soils. , 2011, Environmental pollution.