Effect of biochar on the extractability of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) and enzyme activity in soil
Abstract
Biochar is a carbon-rich solid material derived from the pyrolysis of agricultural and forest residual biomass. Previous studies have shown that biochar is suitable as an adsorbent for soil contaminants such as heavy metals and consequently reduces their bioavailability. However, the long-term effect of different biochars on metal extractability or soil health has not been assessed. Therefore, a 1-year incubation experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of biochar produced from bamboo and rice straw (at temperatures ≥500 °C) on the heavy metal (cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) extractability and enzyme activity (urease, catalase, and acid phosphatase) in a contaminated sandy loam paddy soil. Three rates (0, 1, and 5%) and two mesh sizes (<0.25 and <1 mm) of biochar applications were investigated. After incubation, the physicochemical properties, extractable heavy metals, available phosphorus, and enzyme activity of soil samples were analyzed. The results demonstrated that rice straw biochar significantly (P < 0.05) increased the pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchange capacity of the soil, especially at the 5% application rate. Both bamboo and rice straw biochar significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the concentration of CaCl2-extractable heavy metals as biochar application rate increased. The heavy metal extractability was significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with pH, water-soluble organic carbon, and available phosphorus in soil. The 5% application rate of fine rice straw biochar resulted in the greatest reductions of extractable Cu and Zn, 97.3 and 62.2%, respectively. Both bamboo and rice straw biochar were more effective at decreasing extractable Cu and Pb than removing extractable Cd and Zn from the soil. Urease activity increased by 143 and 107% after the addition of 5% coarse and fine rice straw biochars, respectively. Both bamboo and rice straw biochars significantly (P < 0.05) increased catalase activity but had no significant impact on acid phosphatase activity. In conclusion, the rice straw biochar had greater potential as an amendment for reducing the bioavailability of heavy metals in soil than that of the bamboo biochar. The impact of biochar treatment on heavy metal extractability and enzyme activity varied with the biochar type, application rate, and particle size.
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Biochar is often regarded as an environmentally friendly and efficient sorbent for immobilizing heavy metals in aqueous environments and/or in pore water of soils and sediments due to its large specific surface area, surface functional groups, microporous structure, high CEC, and high pH.
“Due to its large specific surface area (SSA), a variety of surface functional groups (hydroxyl, phenolic, carboxyl), microporous structure, high cation exchange capacity (CEC), and high pH, biochar is often regarded as an environmentally friendly and efficient sorbent for immobilizing heavy metals in aqueous environments and/or in pore water of soils and sediments (Zhang et al. 2013; Yang et al. 2”
From Influence of pyrolysis temperature on lead immobilization by chemically modified coconut fiber-derived biochars in aqueous environments (2016) · cites this paper as Yang et al. 2016a, b
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- Authors
- Yang, X., Liu, J., McGrouther, K., Huang, H., Lu, K., Guo, X., He, L., Lin, X., Che, L., Ye, Z., & Wang, H.
- Affiliations
- Zhejiang A & F University (CN)
- Scion (NZ)
- Huzhou Normal University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Lu, Kouping
- Wang, Hailong
- ORCID
- Venue
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research
- Published
- 2015-03-14
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 974-984
- ISSN
- 0944-1344 (ISSN-L)
- 1614-7499
- OpenAlex
- W2081610884
- Cited by
- 569
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 26 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 66 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 87 · 2021: 80 · 2020: 67 · 2019: 64 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 19.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Environmental Science and Pollution Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Heavy metals in environment
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Keywords
- biochar, heavy metal bioavailability, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, soil enzyme activity, urease, catalase, acid phosphatase, rice straw biochar, bamboo biochar, paddy soil, soil remediation, soil amendment, particle size, biochar application rate, soil pH, available phosphorus, water-soluble organic carbon, cation exchange capacity
- MeSH terms
- Biological Availability, Cadmium, Charcoal, Copper, Lead, Phosphorus, Oryza, Soil, Soil Pollutants, Zinc, Metals, Heavy
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