This work addresses the effect of biochar amendment to soil on contaminant sorption, bioavailability, and ecotoxicity. A distinction between positive primary amendment effects caused by reduced toxicity resulting from contaminant sorption, and negative secondary amendment effects of the biochars themselves was seen. Two biochars (one from high technology and one from low technology production processes) representing real world biochars were tested for the adsorption of pyrene, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 52), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE). Sorption by both biochars was similar, both for compounds in single and mixed isotherms, in the presence and absence of soil. p,p'-DDE natively contaminated and spiked soils were amended with biochar (0, 1, 5, and 10%) and bioavailability, operationally defined bioaccessibility and ecotoxicity were assessed using polyethylene (PE), polymeric resin (XAD) and Folsomia candida, respectively. At the highest biochar dose (10%), bioavailability and bioaccessibility decreased by >37% and >41%, respectively, compared to unamended soils. Mortality of F. candida was not observed at any biochar dose, while reproductive effects were dose dependent. F. candida benefited from the reduction of p,p'-DDE bioavailability upon 1% and 5% biochar addition to contaminated soils while at 10% dose, these positive effects were nullified by biochar-induced toxicity. p,p'-DDE toxicity corrected for such secondary effects was predicted well by both PE uptake and XAD extraction.

• Klíčová slova
• Bioavailability, Biochar, F. Candida, Organic compounds,
• MeSH
• adsorpce MeSH
• biologická dostupnost MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí * MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu chemie   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí * MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• půda MeSH

The article evaluates the effect of small selected doses of biochar addition (0%, 1.5%, 3% and 5%, wet weight) on the composting process of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with a low initial C/N ratio under real conditions. The low C/N composting mixtures with addition of biochar at low rates can have a positive effect on the compost quality and on the reduction of N losses in compost. The novelty of this work consists in studying the impact of small biochar doses on the composting process at full-scale. The research was conducted under real conditions in the Brno Central Composting Plant (Czech Republic) receiving food waste, grass, straw, sawdust, mineral waste, paper, wood and sewage sludge for processing. The experimental processing time was 12 weeks. We evaluated changes in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), moisture content (MC), organic matter (OM), respiration activity (AT4), as well as changes in the microbiocenotic composition of microorganisms colonizing the processed waste. OFMSW with the addition of biochar and compost were assessed for the content of heavy metals (HM). It was found out that biochar reduced the compost toxicity. The resulting compost with the addition of biochar exhibited higher moisture content and lower waste density. Biochar had an impact on N retention during composting but it did not change the course or accelerate the composting process. The highest OM loss (62.6%) was observed in the OFMSW with no biochar addition. The abundance of potentially pathogenic microorganisms clearly decreased during the OFMSW composting process with the addition of biochar.

• Klíčová slova
• Biochar, Composting, Microorganisms, Organic waste, Phytotoxicity tests,
• MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• dusík MeSH
• kompostování * MeSH
• půda MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• dusík MeSH
• půda MeSH

The study investigates the role of biochar and/or compost in mitigating the toxic effects of pyrene in soils using reproduction of nematodes and porewater concentration as measures of pyrene toxicity and bioavailability, respectively. Two soils were spiked with increasing levels of pyrene to achieve a concentration-response relationship for the reproduction of Caenorhabditis elegans. The observed EC50 values (pyrene concentration causing 50% inhibition of reproduction) were 14mg/kg and 31mg/kg (dry mass) for these soils, corresponding to equilibrium porewater concentrations of 37μg/L and 47μg/L, respectively. Differences in organic carbon content were not sufficient to explain the variability in toxicity between the different soils. Soils causing a significant inhibition of reproduction were further amended with 10%-compost, 5%-biochar, or both, and the effects on reproduction and porewater concentration determined. Combined addition of compost and biochar was identified as the most effective strategy in reducing pyrene concentration in soil porewater, which was also partly reflected in soil toxicity. However, porewater concentrations predicted only 52% of pyrene toxicity to nematodes, pointing to particle-bound or dietary exposure pathways. Capsule: Amending pyrene-spiked soil with biochar and compost effectively reduced pyrene porewater concentrations and toxicity to nematodes, which were significantly related.

• Klíčová slova
• Biochar, Compost, Nematodes, Pyrene toxicity, Solid-phase microextraction, Sorption,
• MeSH
• biologická dostupnost MeSH
• Caenorhabditis elegans účinky léků   MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí chemie   MeSH
• kompostování MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu toxicita   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• pyreny toxicita   MeSH
• rozmnožování účinky léků   MeSH
• testy toxicity MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• půda MeSH
• pyreny MeSH

Impacts of red beet consumption both on human and animal health are subject of intense research. In particular, products that are not heat-processed contain plethora of bioactive compounds that hold promise against numerous degenerative and aging-associated diseases. However, high level of nitrates (typically more than 2 g NO3- kg-1) whose health effects are perceived with reasoned objections counterbalance these benefits. Following the above, from a certain level, the increased consumption of red beet has contrary impacts, creating a limiting factor not only from the economic point of view but also in terms of beneficial compounds intake. Reduction of NO3- levels (- 35%) has been achieved by soil amendment via increased doses of biochar. The data obtained indicates that the mechanism can be explained as follows. The soil improvement reduces soil density, increases soil temperature, improves water retention, and other prerequisites for increased activity of soil microorganisms. Accelerated metabolism of soil biota turned more nitrogen from fertilizers into organic forms. Hence, less mineral nitrogen is left for red beet intake.

• Klíčová slova
• Biochar, Nitrate levels, Nitrates, Production management, Red beet,
• MeSH
• Beta vulgaris chemie   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí chemie   MeSH
• dusičnany analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu analýza   MeSH
• průmyslová hnojiva * analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• dusičnany MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• průmyslová hnojiva * MeSH
• půda MeSH

Biochar application is a widely investigated topic nowadays, and precisely described biochar parameters are key information for the understanding of its behaviour in soil and other media. Pore structure and surface properties determine biochar fate. However, there is lack of complex, investigative studies describing the influence of biomass properties and pyrolysis conditions on the pore structure of biochars. The aim of our study was to evaluate a wide range of gathered agriculture residues and elevated pyrolysis temperature on the biochar surface properties and pore composition, predicting biochar behaviour in the soil. The biomass of herbaceous and wood plants was treated by slow pyrolysis, with the final temperature ranging from 400 to 600 °C. Specific surface ranged from 124 to 511 cm2 g-1 at wood biochar and from 3.19 to 192 cm2 g-1 at herbaceous biochar. The main properties influencing biochar pore composition were increasing pyrolysis temperatures and lignin (logarithmically) and ash contents (linearly) of biomass. Increasing lignin contents and pyrolysis temperatures caused the highest biochar micropore volume. The total biochar pore volume was higher of wood biomass (0.08-0.3 cm-3 g-1). Biochars of wood origin were characterised by skeletal density ranging from 1.479 to 2.015 cm3 g-1 and herbaceous ones 1.506-1.943 cm3 g-1, and the envelope density reached 0.982 cm3 g-1 at biochar of wheat grain origin and was generally higher at biochars of herbaceous origin. Density was not pyrolysis temperature dependent.

• Klíčová slova
• Herbaceous biomass, Pore volume, Sorption, Specific surface area, Wood biomass,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí analýza   MeSH
• lignin analýza   MeSH
• poréznost MeSH
• povrchové vlastnosti MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• rostliny chemie   MeSH
• vysoká teplota * MeSH
• zemědělství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• lignin MeSH
• půda MeSH

A pot experiment was carried out in which aged polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminated soil was amended with biochar, and three phases: earthworms, turnips and polyethylene (PE) passive samplers, were added simultaneously in order to investigate changes in bioavailability of PCB following biochar amendment. Two biochars were used: one made from rice husk in Indonesia using local techniques and the other made from mixed wood shavings using more advanced technology. The biochars were amended at 1 and 4% doses. The overall accumulation of PCBs to the phases followed the order: earthworm lipid > PE > turnip. The rice husk biochar reduced PCB accumulation to a greater degree than the mixed wood biochar for all phases, however there was no effect of dose for either biochar. Earthworm uptake was reduced between 52% and 91% for rice husk biochar and by 19% to 63% for mix wood biochar. Turnip uptake was not significantly reduced by biochar amendment. Phase to soil accumulation factors (PSAF) were around 0.5 for turnips, approximately 5 for PE and exceeded 100 for earthworms. This study demonstrates that both biochars can be a sustainable alternative for in situ soil remediation and that PE can be used as tool to simulate the uptake in earthworms and thus remediation effectiveness.

• Klíčová slova
• Bioavailable, Biochar, Biota, Correlation, Earthworm, Plant,
• MeSH
• Brassica napus metabolismus   MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu metabolismus   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• Oligochaeta metabolismus   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly metabolismus   MeSH
• polyethylen analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly MeSH
• polyethylen MeSH
• půda MeSH

Large amounts of biochar are produced worldwide for potential agricultural applications. However, this material can also be used as an efficient biosorbent for xenobiotics removal. In this work, biochar was magnetically modified using microwave-synthesized magnetic iron oxide particles. This new type of a magnetically responsive biocomposite material can be easily separated by means of strong permanent magnets. Magnetic biochar has been used as an inexpensive magnetic adsorbent for the removal of water-soluble dyes. Five dyes (malachite green, methyl green, Bismarck brown Y, acridine orange and Nile blue A) were used to study the adsorption process. The dyes adsorption could be usually described with the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities reached the value 137 mg of dye per g of dried magnetically modified biochar for Bismarck brown Y. The adsorption processes followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the thermodynamic studies indicated spontaneous and endothermic adsorption. Extremely simple magnetic modification of biochar resulted in the formation of a new, promising adsorbent suggested for selected xenobiotics removal.

• MeSH
• adsorpce MeSH
• barvicí látky chemie   MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu chemie   MeSH
• čištění vody metody   MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí chemie   MeSH
• kinetika MeSH
• magnetismus * MeSH
• termodynamika MeSH
• voda MeSH
• xenobiotika chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• barvicí látky MeSH
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• voda MeSH
• xenobiotika MeSH

In situ remediation and assessment of sediments contaminated with both antibiotics and heavy metals remains a technological challenge. In this study, MgCl2-modified biochar (BCM) was obtained at 500 °C through slow pyrolysis of Thalia dealbata and used for remediation of sediments contaminated by sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Cd. The BCM showed greater surface area (110.6 m2 g-1) than pristine biochar (BC, 7.1 m2 g-1). The SMX sorption data were well described by Freundlich model while Langmuir model was better for the Cd2+ sorption data. The addition of 5.0% BCM significantly increased the sorption of SMX (by 50.8-58.6%) and Cd (by 24.2-25.6%) on sediments in both single and binary systems as compared with 5.0% BC. SMX sorption in sediments was significantly improved by addition of Cd2+, whereas SMX has no influence on Cd sorption on sediments. The addition of BCM distinctly decreased both SMX (by 51.4-87.2%) and Cd concentrations (by 56.2-91.3%) in overlying water, as well as in TCLP extracts (by 55.6-86.1% and 58.2-91.9% for SMX and Cd, respectively), as compared with sediments without biochar. Both germination rate and root length of pakchoi increased with increasing doses of BCM in contaminated sediments, 5.0% BCM showed greater promotion on pakchoi growth than 5.0% BC. Overall, BCM in the sediments does not only decrease the bioavailability of SMX and Cd, but it also diminishes the phytotoxicity, and thereby shows great application potential for in situ remediation of sediments polluted with antibiotics and heavy metals.

• Klíčová slova
• Cadmium, Magnesium-modified biochar, Phytotoxicity, Remediation, Sediment, Sulfamethoxazole,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   chemie   MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí chemie   MeSH
• hořčík chemie   MeSH
• kadmium analýza   chemie   MeSH
• marantovité chemie   MeSH
• regenerace a remediace životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• sulfamethoxazol analýza   chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• hořčík MeSH
• kadmium MeSH
• sulfamethoxazol MeSH

Two metal(loid) contaminated agricultural soils were amended with grape stalk (wine production by-product)-derived biochar as well as its pre-pyrolysed origin material, to investigate their geochemical impacts on As, Cr, Cu and Zn. Detailed physico-chemical evaluation combined with a column leaching test determined the retention of metal(loid)s from soil solution by each amendments. A pot experiment measured metal(loid)s in soil pore water and their uptake to ryegrass when the amendments were mixed into soils at 1 and 5% (w/w). Total Cr and Zn concentrations were reduced furthest in column leachates by the addition of raw material and biochar respectively, compared to the untreated soil; Cr(III) was the predominant specie initially due to rapid acidification of leachates and organic complexation resulting from raw material addition. Loadings of metal(loid)s to the amendments recovered from the post-leached columns were in the order Cu » Zn > Cr ≈ As. In the pot test ryegrass Cr uptake was initiated by the addition of both amendments, compared to the untreated soil, whereas only biochar addition resulted in significant increases in Zn uptake, explained by its significant enhancement of ryegrass biomass yield, especially at 5% dosage; raw material addition significantly decreased biomass yields. Inconsistent relationships between pore water parameters and ryegrass uptake were common to both soils investigated. Therefore, whilst both amendments modified soil metal(loid) geochemistry, their effects differed fundamentally; in environmental risk management terms these results highlight the need to investigate the detailed geochemical response of contaminated soils to diverse organic amendment additions.

• Klíčová slova
• Biochar, Chromium, Plant uptake, Pore water, Speciation, Zinc,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí * MeSH
• jílek metabolismus   MeSH
• kovy farmakokinetika   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu farmakokinetika   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• stonky rostlin MeSH
• Vitis MeSH
• zemědělství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí * MeSH
• kovy MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• půda MeSH

To complete a loop of the Miscanthus value chain including production, phytomanagement, conversion to energy, and bioproducts, the wastes accumulated from these processes have to be returned to the production cycle to provide sustainable use of the feedstock, to reduce costs, and to ensure a zero-waste approach. This can be achieved by converting Miscanthus feedstock into biogas and biochar using pyrolysis and then returning biochar to the production cycle of Miscanthus crop applications in the phytotechnology of trace elements (TEs)-contaminated/marginal lands. These processes are subjects of the current review, which focused on the peculiarities of biochar received from Miscanthus by pyrolysis, its properties, the impact on soil characteristics, the phytoremediation process, biomass yield, and the abundance of soil biodiversity. Results from the literature indicated that the pH, surface area, and porosity of Miscanthus biochar are important in determining its impact on soil characteristics. It was inferred that the most effective Miscanthus biochar was produced with a pyrolysis temperature of about 600 °C with a residence time from about 30 min to an hour. Another important factor that determined the impact of Miscanthus biochar on soil health is the application rate: with its increase, the effect became more essential, and the recommended rate is between 5% and 10%. The influence of Miscanthus biochar on the TEs phytoremediation parameters is less studied, generally Miscanthus biochar produced at higher temperatures and added with higher application rates is more likely to restrict the mobility and availability of TEs by different plants. However, some published results are contradictory to these conclusions and showed absence of significant difference in TEs reduction during application of different Miscanthus biochar doses. The future experimental studies have to focus on determining the impact of a technological pyrolysis regime on Miscanthus biochar properties on TEs-contaminated or marginal land when biochar will be obtained from contaminated rhizomes and waste after the application of phytotechnology. In addition, studies must explore the influence of this biochar on TEs phytoparameters, enhancements in biomass yield, improvements in soil parameters, and the abundance of soil diversity.

• Klíčová slova
• Application rate, Biomass, Miscanthus biochar, Phytoremediation, Pyrolysis, Zero-waste approach,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipnicovité MeSH
• půda * MeSH
• pyrolýza MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí * MeSH
• půda * MeSH