CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 109Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsFire effects on ecosystemsThermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes

A Fourier‐Transform Infrared Study of Biochar Aging in Soils

Open access
Singh, B., Fang, Y., Johnston, C.T.·2016·Soil Science Society of America Journal
DOI 10.2136/sssaj2015.11.0414PMC PMC5898394
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Core Ideas: Aged biochars in different soils were analyzed using DR‐FTIR in this study. Native soil organic C, biochar C, and minerals created distinct absorption bands. Ar/Al band ratio systematically changed in soils with high‐temperature biochar. Ar/Al ratios and biochar C mineralized in the soils were linearly correlated. DR‐FTIR is a simple procedure for long‐term monitoring of high‐temperature biochars. We used diffuse reflectance Fourier‐transform infrared (DR‐FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and chemical and isotopic analyses to characterize the light fraction of four contrasting soils (control and biochar‐amended soils) to determine changes in biochar properties after aging. Two Eucalyptus saligna Sm. wood biochars, produced at 450°C (B450) and 550°C (B550), were incubated separately in each of the four soils for up to 12 mo at 20, 40, and 60°C. Total C and isotopic (δ 13 C) methods were used to quantify the amounts of biochar C and native C mineralized during incubation. The DR‐FTIR spectra of the light fraction showed distinct absorption bands representing native soil organic C, biochar C, and mineral constituents present in the soils; the mineral bands were consistent with XRD data of the clay fraction of the four soils. Analysis of the DR‐FTIR spectra in the ν(C–H) bands showed that the ratio of the aromatic ν(C–H) bands systematically increased relative to the aliphatic ν(C–H) bands with increasing mineralization of biochar C in the B550 amended soils, and this relationship was unique for each soil type. In contrast, this relationship was not observed for the B450 amended soils that contained a relatively smaller proportion of aromatic C.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.2136/sssaj2015.11.0414

Cites

3 of 3 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • The absence of distinct peaks beyond 3020 cm-1 indicates minimal hydrogen-bonded O-H groups and low residual moisture in high-temperature biochars.

    “The absence of distinct peaks beyond 3020 cm -1 indicates minimal hydrogenbonded O-H groups and low residual moisture in high-temperature biochars [94,95].”

    From Pilot-Scale Slow Pyrolysis, Post-Heat Treatment, and Self-Heating Performance of Biochar Fuels Derived from Construction, Renovation, and Demolition (CRD) Wood Waste (2026) · cites this paper as [95]

    In Results and Discussion, the paper reports a broad band centered at 3400 cm−1 in both biochars, attributed mainly to O–H stretching from sorbed water and hydrous minerals. It also reports a distinct band at 3638 cm−1 in the 550°C biochar. These observations contradict the claimed absence of peaks beyond 3020 cm−1 and do not support the inference of low residual moisture. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Residual aliphatic C-H vibrations (2840-3020 cm-1) signal incomplete polymer decomposition.

    “Residual aliphatic C-H vibrations (2840-3020 cm -1 ) signal incomplete polymer decomposition [95]”

    From Pilot-Scale Slow Pyrolysis, Post-Heat Treatment, and Self-Heating Performance of Biochar Fuels Derived from Construction, Renovation, and Demolition (CRD) Wood Waste (2026) · cites this paper as [95]

    The Results and Discussion identify aliphatic C–H stretching bands in both biochars and associate a greater aliphatic fraction with the lower-temperature biochar. The paper gives the bands as 2750–2950 cm−1, however, and does not say that their presence signals incomplete polymer decomposition. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 47

  1. Baes AU Bloom PR 1989 Diffuse reflectance and transmission Fourier transform infrared (DRIFT) spectroscopy of humic and fulvic acids Soil Sci Soc Am J 53 695 700 10.2136/sssaj1989.03615995005300030008 · DOI
  2. Baldock JA Oades JM Nelson PN Skene TM Golchin A Clarke P 1997 Assessing the extent of decomposition of natural organic materials using solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy Aust J Soil Res 35 1061 1083 10.1071/S97004 · DOI
  3. Baldock JA Smernik RJ 2002 Chemical composition and bioavailability of thermally altered Pinus resinosa (red pine) wood Org Geochem 33 1093 1109 10.1016/S0146-6380(02)00062-1 · DOI
  4. Bornemann L Welp G Brodowski S Rodionov A Amelung W 2008 Rapid assessment of black carbon in soil organic matter using mid-infrared spectroscopy Org Geochem 39 1537 1544 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2008.07.012 · DOI
  5. Brodowski S Amelung W Haumaier L Abetz C Zech W 2005a Morphological and chemical properties of black carbon in physical soil fractions as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy Geoderma 128 116 129 10.1016/j.geoderma.2004.12.019 · DOI
  6. Brodowski S Rodionov A Haumaier L Glaser B Amelung W 2005b Revised black carbon assessment using benzene polycarboxylic acids Org Geochem 36 1299 1310 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2005.03.011 · DOI
  7. Cheng CH Lehmann J Thies JE Burton SD Engelhard MH 2006 Oxidation of black carbon by biotic and abiotic processes Org Geochem 37 1477 1488 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2006.06.022 · DOI · Paper page
  8. Davis WM Erickson C Johnston CT Delfino JJ Porter JE 1999 Quantitative Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic investigation of humic substance functional group composition Chemosphere 38 2913 2928 10.1016/S0045-6535(98)00486-X · DOI
  9. Fang Y Singh B Singh BP Krull E 2014a Biochar carbon stability in four contrasting soils Eur J Soil Sci 65 60 71 10.1111/ejss.12094 · DOI
  10. Fang Y Singh BP Singh B 2014b Temperature sensitivity of biochar and native carbon mineralization in biochar-amended soils Agric Ecosyst Environ 191 158 167 10.1016/j.agee.2014.02.018 · DOI
  11. Gaskin JW Steiner C Harris K Das KC Bibens B 2008 Effect of low-temperature pyrolysis conditions on biochar for agricultural use Trans ASAE 51 2061 2069 10.13031/2013.25409 · DOI
  12. Glaser B Balashov E Haumaier L Guggenberger G Zech W 2000 Black carbon in density fractions of anthropogenic soils of the Brazilian Amazon region Org Geochem 31 669 678 10.1016/S0146-6380(00)00044-9 · DOI
  13. Golchin A Oades JM Skjemstad JO Clarke P 1994 Soil structure and carbon cycling Aust J Soil Res 32 1043 1068 10.1071/SR9941043 · DOI · Paper page
  14. Haberhauer G Rafferty B Strebl F Gerzabek MH 1998 Comparison of the composition of forest soil litter derived from three different sites at various decompositional stages using FTIR spectroscopy Geoderma 83 331 342 10.1016/S0016-7061(98)00008-1 · DOI
  15. Harvey OR Herbert BE Kuo LJ Louchouarn P 2012 Generalized two-dimensional perturbation correlation infrared spectroscopy reveals mechanisms for the development of surface charge and recalcitrance in plant-derived biochars Environ Sci Technol 46 10641 10650 10.1021/es302971d 22950676 · DOI
  16. Hedges JI Eglinton G Hatcher PG Kirchman DL Arnosti C Derenne S 2000 The molecularly-uncharacterized component of nonliving organic matter in natural environments Org Geochem 31 945 958 10.1016/S0146-6380(00)00096-6 · DOI
  17. Hilscher A Knicker H 2011 Carbon and nitrogen degradation on molecular scale of grass-derived pyrogenic organic material during 28 months of incubation in soil Soil Biol Biochem 43 261 270 10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.10.007 · DOI
  18. Inbar Y Chen Y Hadar Y 1989 Solid-state carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy of composted organic matter Soil Sci Soc Am J 53 1695 1701 10.2136/sssaj1989.03615995005300060014x · DOI
  19. Kaiser K Guggenberger G Haumaier L Zech W 1997 Dissolved organic matter sorption on subsoils and minerals studied by 13C NMR and DRIFT spectroscopy Eur J Soil Sci 48 301 310 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1997.tb00550.x · DOI
  20. Keith A Singh B Singh BP 2011 Interactive priming of biochar and labile organic matter mineralization in a smectite-rich soil Environ Sci Technol 45 9611 9618 10.1021/es202186j 21950729 · DOI · Paper page
  21. Kloss S Zehetner F Dellantonio A Hamid R Ottner F Liedtke V 2012 Characterization of slow pyrolysis biochars: Effects of feedstocks and pyrolysis temperature on biochar properties J Environ Qual 41 990 1000 10.2134/jeq2011.0070 22751041 · DOI · Paper page
  22. Kookana RS Sarmah AK van Zwieten L Krull E Singh B 2011 Biochar application to soil: Agronomic and environmental benefits and unintended consequences Adv Agron 112 103 143 10.1016/B978-0-12-385538-1.00003-2 · DOI · Paper page
  23. Krull ES Skjemstad JO Graetz D Grice K Dunning W Cook G Parr JF 2003 13C-depleted charcoal from C4 grasses and the role of occluded carbon in phytoliths Org Geochem 34 1337 1352 10.1016/S0146-6380(03)00100-1 · DOI
  24. Kuzyakov Y Subbotina I Chen HQ Bogomolova I Xu XL 2009 Black carbon decomposition and incorporation into soil microbial biomass estimated by 14C labeling Soil Biol Biochem 41 210 219 10.1016/j.soilbio.2008.10.016 · DOI
  25. Laird DA Chappell MA Martens DA Wershaw RL Thompson M 2008 Distinguishing black carbon from biogenic humic substances in soil clay fractions Geoderma 143 115 122 10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.10.025 · DOI
  26. Lehmann J 2007 A handful of carbon Nature 447 143 144 10.1038/447143a 17495905 · DOI · Paper page
  27. McBeath AV Smernik RJ 2009 Variation in the degree of aromatic condensation of chars Org Geochem 40 1161 1168 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2009.09.006 · DOI
  28. Mikutta R Schaumann GE Gildemeister D Bonneville S Kramer MG Chorover J 2009 Biogeochemistry of mineral–organic associations across a long-term mineralogical soil gradient (0.3–4100 kyr), Hawaiian Islands Geochim Cosmochim Acta 73 2034 2060 10.1016/j.gca.2008.12.028 · DOI
  29. Morterra C Mirra C Borello E 1984 IR spectroscopic study of pyridine adsorption onto a-FeOOH (goethite) Mater Chem Phys 10 139 154 10.1016/0254-0584(84)90043-9 · DOI
  30. Namgay T Singh B Singh BP 2010 Influence of biochar application to soil on the availability of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn to maize (Zea mays L.) Aust J Soil Res 48 638 647 10.1071/SR10049 · DOI · Paper page
  31. Nguyen BT Lehmann J 2009 Black carbon decomposition under varying water regimes Org Geochem 40 846 853 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2009.05.004 · DOI · Paper page
  32. Nguyen BT Lehmann J Hockaday WC Joseph S Masiello CA 2010 Temperature sensitivity of black carbon decomposition and oxidation Environ Sci Technol 44 3324 3331 10.1021/es903016y 20384335 · DOI · Paper page
  33. Niemeyer J Chen Y Bollag JM 1992 Characterization of humic acids, composts and peat by diffuse reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy Soil Sci Soc Am J 56 135 140 10.2136/sssaj1992.03615995005600010021x · DOI
  34. Preston CM Schmidt MWI 2006 Black (pyrogenic) carbon: A synthesis of current knowledge and uncertainties with special consideration of boreal regions Biogeosciences 3 397 420 10.5194/bg-3-397-2006 · DOI
  35. Reeves JB McCarty GW Rutherford DW Wershaw RL 2008 Mid-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopic examination of charred pine wood, bark, cellulose, and lignin: Implications for the quantitative determination of charcoal in soils Appl Spectrosc 62 182 189 18284794
  36. Rumpel C Janik LJ Skjemstad JO Kogel-Knabner I 2001 Quantification of carbon derived from lignite in soils using mid-infrared spectroscopy and partial least squares Org Geochem 32 831 839 10.1016/S0146-6380(01)00029-8 · DOI
  37. Schmidt MWI Noack AG 2000 Black carbon in soils and sediments: Analysis, distribution, implications, and current challenges Global Biogeochem Cycles 14 777 793 10.1029/1999GB001208 · DOI
  38. Schmidt MWI Skjemstad JO Czimczik CI Glaser B Prentice KM Gelinas Y Kuhlbusch TAJ 2001 Comparative analysis of black carbon in soils Global Biogeochem Cycles 15 163 167 10.1029/2000GB001284 · DOI
  39. Schmidt MWI Skjemstad JO Jager C 2002 Carbon isotope geochemistry and nanomorphology of soil black carbon: Black chernozemic soils in central Europe originate from ancient biomass burning Global Biogeochem Cycles 16 4 1123 10.1029/2002GB001939 · DOI
  40. Singh B Singh BP Cowie AL 2010a Characterisation and evaluation of biochars for their application as a soil amendment Aust J Soil Res 48 516 525 10.1071/SR10058 · DOI · Paper page
  41. Singh BP Hatton BJ Singh B Cowie AL Kathuria A 2010b Influence of biochars on nitrous oxide emission and nitrogen leaching from two contrasting soils J Environ Qual 39 1224 1235 10.2134/jeq2009.0138 20830910 · DOI · Paper page
  42. Skjemstad JO Reicosky DC Wilts AR McGowan JA 2002 Charcoal carbon in US agricultural soils Soil Sci Soc Am J 66 1249 1255 10.2136/sssaj2002.1249 · DOI
  43. Sohi SP Mahieu N Arah JRM Powlson DS Madari B Gaunt JL 2001 A procedure for isolating soil organic matter fractions suitable for modeling Soil Sci Soc Am J 65 1121 1128 10.2136/sssaj2001.6541121x · DOI
  44. Wang SL Johnston CT 2000 Assignment of the structural OH stretching bands of gibbsite Am Mineral 85 739 744 10.2138/am-2000-5-612 · DOI
  45. Wershaw RL Leenheer JA Kennedy KR Noyes TI 1996 Use of 13C NMR and FTIR for elucidation of degradation pathways during natural litter decomposition and composting: 1. Early stage leaf degradation Soil Sci 161 667 679 10.1097/00010694-199610000-00004 · DOI
  46. Xu W Johnston CT Parker P Agnew SF 2000 Infrared study of water sorption on Na-, Li-, Ca- and Mg-exchanged (SWy-1 and SAz-1) montmorillonite Clays Clay Miner 48 120 131 10.1346/CCMN.2000.0480115 · DOI
  47. Zimmerman AR 2010 Abiotic and microbial oxidation of laboratory-produced black carbon (biochar) Environ Sci Technol 44 1295 1301 10.1021/es903140c 20085259 · DOI · Paper page

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Singh, B., Fang, Y., & Johnston, C. T.
Affiliations
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
Corresponding author
Singh, B.
ORCID
Venue
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-05
Volume
80
Issue
3
Pages
613-622
ISSN
  • 0361-5995 (ISSN-L)
  • 1435-0661
DOI
10.2136/sssaj2015.11.0414
PMC
PMC5898394
OpenAlex
W2474300078
Cited by
109
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI
3.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 54 d)
Locations
  • Soil Science Society of America Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Australian Government
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Fire effects on ecosystems
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
Keywords
biochar aging, soil organic carbon, C-H stretching band, biochar pyrolysis temperature, soil amendment, soil incubation, carbon isotopes

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review