{"title":"Compost quality, earthworm activities and microbial communities in biochar-augmented vermicomposting of dewatered activated sludge: the role of biochar particle size","authors":"Wei Peng, Yue Wang, Guangyu Cui, Qiyong Xu, Hua Zhang, Pinjing He, Fan Lü","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00365-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00365-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Vermicomposting utilizes the synergistic effect of earthworms with microorganisms to accelerate the stabilization of organic matter in biowastes. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism behind the maturity of vermicompost and the growth of earthworms exposed to biochar of varying particle sizes remains unclear. This study presents an investigation of the effect of biochar particle size on earthworm (<i>Eisenia fetida</i>) survival, microbial diversity, and the quality of vermicompost products. To address these issues, pelletized dewatered sludge samples from a municipal sewage treatment plant were amended with pine-based biochar with particle sizes of 1–2 mm, 25–75 μm, 200 nm, and 60 nm as the substrate for vermicomposting. This study revealed that the addition of millimeter-scale biochar and micron-scale biochar significantly promoted the degradation of organic matter since the organic matter in the treatment with 1–2 mm biochar at the end of the vermicomposting experiment decreased by 12.6%, which was equivalent to a 1.9-fold increase compared with that of the control. Excessive nanopowdering of nanobiochar significantly affected the survival of earthworms and led to 24.4–33.3% cumulative mortality, while millimeter-scale (mm) biochar and micron-scale (μm) biochar achieved zero mortality. The findings of this study could be used for evaluating the potential impact of nanoscale biochar to earthworms and guiding biochar-augmented vermicomposting.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142200546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-08-12DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00363-w
Zonglin Lu, Tong Lu, Junmei Shi, Kun Chen, Hangming Guo, Na Li, Xiaori Han
{"title":"Short-term microbial community dynamics induced by 13C-labeled maize root, its derived biochar and NPK in long-term amended soil","authors":"Zonglin Lu, Tong Lu, Junmei Shi, Kun Chen, Hangming Guo, Na Li, Xiaori Han","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00363-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00363-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Crop residues and their derived biochar are frequently used for their potential to improve grain yield, soil fertility and carbon (C) sequestration. However, the effects of root are often overlooked, and the effects of chemical fertilizer (NPK) combined with root or its biochar on microbial community structure need further study. This study used <sup>13</sup>C-labeled maize root, its biochar and soil with different fertilization for 8 years as materials and substrates. A 112-day incubation experiment was conducted to explore the effects of microbial community on the C processing. During incubation, the root-C (54.9%) mineralized significantly more than biochar-C (12.8%), while NPK addition significantly increased the root-C mineralization. Adding biochar alone did not significantly change the microbial community. Compared to the biochar treatment (BC), the root treatment (R) notably increased the contents of total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs), <sup>13</sup>C-PLFA and the proportion of fungi and Gram-negative bacteria, but reduced the proportion of actinomycetes. The root mineralization was significantly correlated with the relative content of <sup>13</sup>C-Gram-positive bacteria and <sup>13</sup>C-fungi, while biochar mineralization was significantly correlated with the relative content of <sup>13</sup>C-Gram-positive bacteria and <sup>13</sup>C-actinomycetes. Notably, NPK addition significantly increased the contribution of biochar-C to PLFA-C pool, while decreasing the contribution of root-C. In summary, due to microbial adaptation to the lack of bioavailable C in biochar-amended soil, biochar can act as a buffer against the significant disturbance caused by NPK to microbial communities and native soil organic carbon (SOC), which contributes to the steady enhancement in soil C storage.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"84 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141930704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-08-06DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00356-9
Dili daer, Lei Luo, Yewen Shang, Jiaxiao Wang, Chengzhen Wu, Zhengang Liu
{"title":"Co-hydrothermal carbonization of waste biomass and phosphate rock: promoted carbon sequestration and enhanced phosphorus bioavailability","authors":"Dili daer, Lei Luo, Yewen Shang, Jiaxiao Wang, Chengzhen Wu, Zhengang Liu","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00356-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00356-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of phosphorus rock (PR) and corn straw (CS) was investigated to prepare hydrochar-based materials as soil conditioners, focusing on the morphological transformation and solid–liquid migration of carbon and phosphorus. Various analytical methods, including elemental analysis, chemical quantification, FT-IR, XRD, 3D-EEM, TG, and XANES, were used to understand the synergistic interactions of PR and CS during co-HTC and determine the properties of the resultant products. The results indicated the acidic solution and humic acid-like substances produced by HTC of CS reduced the crystallinity of the PR and served as the activating agent for PR, allowing the PR to be easily dissolved and reconstituted, producing calcium carbonate and apatite-like materials, and the formation of C–O–PO<sub>3</sub>, C–PO<sub>3</sub>, C=O, and O=C–O chemical bonds. At 220 °C, adding 5% PR significantly promoted a 10.3% rise in the yield of CS hydrochar, a 4.3% rise in carbon recovery of CS, and a 4.8% rise in carbon sequestration potential of CS. The formation of Ca–P was notably promoted and the content of AP in co-HTC hydrochar was up to 89.9%, with 39% Hydro-P and 33% CaHPO<sub>4</sub>. In the case of artificial humic acid (HAa), its content was also remarkably increased by 5.9% in the hydrochar by co-HTC. In addition, the hydrochar produced by co-HTC of CS and PR was composed of carbon with an increased aromatic degree, rich organic matter, and biologically effective mineral nutrient elements and exhibited high stability. The present study provided a promising approach for value-added utilization of waste biomass and low-grade PR towards soil application.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141930705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Activating Fenton-like reaction by hydrochars containing persistent free radicals derived from various pomelo peel components","authors":"Chaoyang Zhang, Zili Jiang, Wanxue Sun, Yuyuan Tang, Zhanying Zhang, Changrong Shi, Xiuxiu Ruan","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00362-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00362-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>To reveal the influence of the diversity of precursors on the formation of environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs), pomelo peel (PP) and its physically divided portion, pomelo cuticle (PC), and white fiber (WF) were used as precursors to prepare six hydrochars: PPH-Fe, PCH-Fe, WFH-Fe, PPH, PCH, and WFH with and without Fe(III) addition during hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). PPH-Fe and WFH-Fe had higher EPFRs content (9.11 × 10<sup>18</sup> and 8.25 × 10<sup>18</sup> spins·g<sup>−1</sup>) compared to PPH and WFH (3.33 × 10<sup>18</sup> and 2.96 × 10<sup>18</sup> spins·g<sup>−1</sup>), indicating that iron-doping favored EPFRs formation. However, PCH-Fe had lower EPFRs content (2.78 × 10<sup>18</sup> spins·g<sup>−1</sup>) than PCH (7.95 × 10<sup>18</sup> spins·g<sup>−1</sup>), possibly due to excessive iron leading to the consumption of the generated EPFRs. For another reason, the required Fe(III) amount for EPFRs formation might vary among different precursors. PC has a lower concentration of phenolic compounds but 68–97% fatty acids, while WF and PP are rich in cellulose and lignin. In the Fenton-like reaction, oxygen-centered radicals of hydrochar played a significant role in activating H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> and efficiently degrading bisphenol A (BPA). Mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in hydrochar/H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> system were proposed. EPFRs on hydrochar activate H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> via electron transfer, creating ·OH and <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>, leading to BPA degradation. More importantly, the embedded EPFRs on the hydrochar's inner surface contributed to the prolonged Fenton-like reactivity of PPH-Fe stored for 45 days. This study demonstrates that by optimizing precursor selection and iron doping, hydrochars can be engineered to maximize their EPFRs content and reactivity, providing a cost-effective solution for the degradation of hazardous pollutants.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"87 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141930706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Magnesium-doped biochars increase soil phosphorus availability by regulating phosphorus retention, microbial solubilization and mineralization","authors":"Muhammed Mustapha Ibrahim, Huiying Lin, Zhaofeng Chang, Zhimin Li, Asif Riaz, Enqing Hou","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00360-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00360-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite fertilization efforts, phosphorus (P) availability in soils remains a major constraint to global plant productivity. Soil incorporation of biochar could promote soil P availability but its effects remain uncertain. To attain further improvements in soil P availability with biochar, we developed, characterized, and evaluated magnesium-oxide (MgO) and sepiolite (Mg<sub>4</sub>Si<sub>6</sub>O<sub>15</sub>(OH)<sub>2</sub>·6H<sub>2</sub>O)-functionalized biochars with optimized P retention/release capacity. Field-based application of these biochars for improving P availability and their mechanisms during three growth stages of maize was investigated. We further leveraged next-generation sequencing to unravel their impacts on the plant growth-stage shifts in soil functional genes regulating P availability. Results showed insignificant variation in P availability between single super phosphate fertilization (F) and its combination with raw biochar (BF). However, the occurrence of Mg-bound minerals on the optimized biochars’ surface adjusted its surface charges and properties and improved the retention and slow release of inorganic P. Compared to BF, available P (AP) was 26.5% and 19.1% higher during the 12-leaf stage and blister stage, respectively, under MgO-optimized biochar + F treatment (MgOBF), and 15.5% higher under sepiolite-biochar + F (SBF) during maize physiological maturity. Cumulatively, AP was 15.6% and 13.2% higher in MgOBF and SBF relative to BF. Hence, plant biomass, grain yield, and P uptake were highest in MgOBF and SBF, respectively at harvest. Optimized-biochar amendment stimulated microbial 16SrRNA gene diversity and suppressed the expression of P starvation response and P uptake and transport-related genes while stimulating P solubilization and mineralization genes. Thus, the optimized biochars promoted P availability via the combined processes of slow-release of retained phosphates, while inducing the microbial solubilization and mineralization of inorganic and organic P, respectively. Our study advances strategies for reducing cropland P limitation and reveals the potential of optimized biochars for improving P availability on the field scale.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141737821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-07-08DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00357-8
Daniela Moloeznik Paniagua, Lina Maja Marie Krenz, Judy A. Libra, Nathalie Korf, Vera Susanne Rotter
{"title":"Towards a high-quality fertilizer based on algae residues treated via hydrothermal carbonization. Trends on how process parameters influence inorganics","authors":"Daniela Moloeznik Paniagua, Lina Maja Marie Krenz, Judy A. Libra, Nathalie Korf, Vera Susanne Rotter","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00357-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00357-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The use of beach-cast macroalgae as a fertilizer (F) or soil amendment (SA) is coming back into focus, due to its highly efficient transformation of CO<sub>2</sub>, nutrients, salts and minerals from its aqueous surroundings into biomass. This research studied the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i> macroalgae to hydrochar and evaluated its feasibility for use in soil applications. <i>F. vesiculosus</i> was submitted to HTC following a full factorial design of experiments with three HTC process parameters varied to assess their impact on the hydrochars: temperature (<i>T</i>: 160, 190, 220 °C), solid content (<i>%So</i>: 20, 35%), and process water recirculation (<i>PWrec</i>: yes and no). In general, <i>F. vesiculosus</i> and its hydrochars were rich in nutrients, but also contained regulated heavy metals. Investigation of the partitioning behavior of inorganic elements between the hydrochars and process water showed that heavy metals like Cr, Pb, Co and Cu tended to accumulate in the hydrochar, unaffected by HTC conditions. Nutrients such as P, N, B, and Mn were primarily found in the hydrochar and could be partially influenced to transfer to process water by changing <i>%So</i> and <i>T</i>. The correlation between the mass fractions of 22 elements in the hydrochar and HTC process parameters was studied. <i>T</i> was the most influential parameter, showing a significant positive correlation for eleven elements. <i>%So</i> and <i>PWrec</i> showed inconsistent effects on different elements. When process water was recirculated, some elements decreased (Ca, Cd, Fe) while others increased (K, Na, B, N) in the hydrochar. Assessment against various regulations and standards for F and SA revealed that <i>F. vesiculosus</i> complied with Cd limit values for most rules including the EURF and B, and was regulated only in the RAL for SA, over the limit value. In contrast, the limit value of Cd for both F and SA applications was surpassed in the 13 hydrochars. The contents of N, P, K, S, and Na in the feedstock and hydrochars complied with European F and SA rules, while they were too high for German rules on SA. The other limits for F rules were achieved (under certain HTC process parameters) except for P (lower than the requirements in F for <i>F. vesiculosus</i> and its hydrochars).</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141567204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-07-03DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00359-6
Renjie Ruan, Hans Lambers, Yaosheng Wang
{"title":"Comparative responses of two maize genotypes with contrasting drought tolerance to biochar application","authors":"Renjie Ruan, Hans Lambers, Yaosheng Wang","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00359-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00359-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The impact of biochar application on plant performance under drought stress necessitates a comprehensive understanding of biochar–soil interaction, root growth, and plant physiological processes. Therefore, pot experiments were conducted to assess the effects of biochar on plant responses to drought stress at the seedling stage. Two contrasting maize genotypes (drought-sensitive KN5585 vs. -tolerant Mo17) were subjected to biochar application under drought stress conditions. The results indicated that biochar application decreased soil exchangeable Na<sup>+</sup> and Ca<sup>2+</sup> contents while increased soil exchangeable K<sup>+</sup> content (2.7-fold) and electrical conductivity (4.0-fold), resulting in an elevated leaf sap K<sup>+</sup> concentration in both maize genotypes. The elevated K<sup>+</sup> concentration with biochar application increased root apoplastic pH in the drought-sensitive KN5585, but not in the drought-tolerant Mo17, which stimulated the activation of H<sup>+</sup>-ATPase and H<sup>+</sup> efflux in KN5585 roots. Apoplast alkalinization of the drought-sensitive KN5585 resulting from biochar application further inhibited root growth by 30.7%, contributing to an improvement in water potential, a reduction in levels of O<sub>2</sub><sup>–</sup>, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, T-AOC, SOD, and POD, as well as the down-regulation of genes associated with drought resistance in KN5585 roots. In contrast, biochar application increased leaf sap osmolality and provided osmotic protection for the drought-tolerant Mo17, which was associated with trehalose accumulation in Mo17 roots. Biochar application improved sucrose utilization and circadian rhythm of Mo17 roots, and increased fresh weight under drought stress. This study suggests that biochar application has the potential to enhance plant drought tolerance, which is achieved through the inhibition of root growth in sensitive plants and the enhancement of osmotic protection in tolerant plants, respectively.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141520756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-07-02DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00358-7
Rabia Rehman, Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Saif Ur Rehman, Shanawar Hamid, Yuze Wang, Kashif Rasool, Tahir Fazal
{"title":"Algal-biochar and Chlorella vulgaris microalgae: a sustainable approach for textile wastewater treatment and biodiesel production","authors":"Rabia Rehman, Javed Iqbal, Muhammad Saif Ur Rehman, Shanawar Hamid, Yuze Wang, Kashif Rasool, Tahir Fazal","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00358-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00358-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Microalgae technology is a viable solution for environmental conservation (carbon capture and wastewater treatment) and energy production. However, the nutrient cost, slow-kinetics, and low biosorption capacity of microalgae hindered its application. To overcome them, algal-biochar (BC) can be integrated with microalgae to treat textile wastewater (TWW) due to its low cost, its ability to rapidly adsorb pollutants, and its ability to serve as a nutrient source for microalgal-growth to capture CO<sub>2</sub> and biodiesel production. <i>Chlorella vulgaris</i> (CV) and algal-BC were combined in this work to assess microalgal growth, carbon capture, TWW bioremediation, and biodiesel production. Results showed the highest optical density (3.70 ± 0.07 OD<sub>680</sub>), biomass productivity (42.31 ± 0.50 mg L<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>), and dry weight biomass production (255.11 ± 6.01 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) in an integrated system of CV-BC-TWW by capturing atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> (77.57 ± 2.52 mg L<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>). More than 99% bioremediation (removal of MB-pollutant, COD, nitrates, and phosphates) of TWW was achieved in CV-BC-TWW system due to biosorption and biodegradation processes. The addition of algal-BC and CV microalgae to TWW not only enhanced the algal growth but also increased the bioremediation of TWW and biodiesel content. The highest fatty acid methylesters (biodiesel) were also produced, up to 76.79 ± 2.01 mg g<sup>−1</sup> from CV-BC-TWW cultivated-biomass. Biodiesel’s oxidative stability and low-temperature characteristics are enhanced by the presence of palmitoleic (C16:1) and linolenic (C18:3) acids. Hence, this study revealed that the integration of algal-biochar, as a biosorbent and source of nutrients, with living-microalgae offers an efficient, economical, and sustainable approach for microalgae growth, CO<sub>2</sub> fixation, TWW treatment, and biodiesel production.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141506191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-06-25DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00353-y
Licheng Ji, Zhongpu Yu, Qi Cao, Xiangyang Gui, Xingjun Fan, Chengcheng Wei, Fei Jiang, Jie Wang, Fanbin Meng, Feiyue Li, Jianfei Wang
{"title":"Effect of hydrothermal temperature on the optical properties of hydrochar-derived dissolved organic matter and their interactions with copper (II)","authors":"Licheng Ji, Zhongpu Yu, Qi Cao, Xiangyang Gui, Xingjun Fan, Chengcheng Wei, Fei Jiang, Jie Wang, Fanbin Meng, Feiyue Li, Jianfei Wang","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00353-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00353-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been regarded as a promising technique for turning wet biomass into hydrochar due to its low energy consumption, low exhaust gas emissions, etc. In addition, hydrochar is an important source of dissolved organic matter (DOM), which plays a crucial part in the migration and destiny of pollutants in the environmental medium. However, there are limited studies that focus on the factors that influence the formation of DOM in hydrochar, such as hydrothermal temperature. Therefore, the current study comprehensively characterized the optical properties of DOM within hydrochar derived from sawdust (HDOM) under different hydrothermal temperatures (150–300 °C) by Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as its complexation characteristic with Cu(II). The findings revealed that the organic carbon content of HDOM reached a peak of 37.3 mg L<sup>−1</sup> when the temperature rose to 240 °C and then decreased as the temperature increased. UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis showed that the absorption capacity of HDOM at 275 nm increases with temperature and reaches a maximum value at 240 °C, indicating that high temperature promotes the formation of monocyclic aromatic compounds. High temperature enhances the aromaticity, hydrophobicity, and humification degree of HDOM, thus improving its stability and aromaticity. The E3/E4 ratios are all greater than 3.5, confirming that the main component of HDOM is fulvic acid, which corresponds to 3D-EEM and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. The humification index (HIX) of HDOM increased with the rise in hydrothermal temperature (150–240 °C), as observed by the three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (3D-EEMs). After reaching its peak at 240 °C, the HIX value gradually dropped in line with the trend of the DOC change. Moreover, the bioavailability (BIX) value of DOM was all high and greater than 1, indicating all the HDOM are readily bioavailable. Two microbial humic substances (C1 and C4), a humic-like substance (C2), and a protein-like substance (C3) were discovered in DOM by integrating 3D-EEMs with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Their fluorescence intensity decreases as the Cu(II) concentration increases, indicating the formation of complexes with Cu(II). As the temperature rises, the binding ability of DOM and Cu(II) changes significantly, reaching the optimum at 300 °C. Meanwhile, the substance C2 has the strongest binding ability with Cu(II). This research emphasizes the significance of spectroscopy analysis in determining the evolution of hydrochar-derived DOM, the potential for heavy metal binding and migration, and its characteristics and features.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141506192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiocharPub Date : 2024-06-24DOI: 10.1007/s42773-024-00354-x
Wenneng Zhou, Mahmoud Mazarji, Mengtong Li, Aohua Li, Yajing Wang, Yadong Yang, Jonathan T. E. Lee, Eldon R. Rene, Xiangzhou Yuan, Junting Pan
{"title":"Exploring magnetic nanomaterials with a focus on magnetic biochar in anaerobic digestion: from synthesis to application","authors":"Wenneng Zhou, Mahmoud Mazarji, Mengtong Li, Aohua Li, Yajing Wang, Yadong Yang, Jonathan T. E. Lee, Eldon R. Rene, Xiangzhou Yuan, Junting Pan","doi":"10.1007/s42773-024-00354-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-024-00354-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Anaerobic digestion technology, effective for sustainable waste management and renewable energy, but challenged by slow reaction rates and low biogas yields, could benefit from advancements in magnetic nanomaterials. This review explores the potential of magnetic nanomaterials, particularly magnetic biochar nanocomposites, to address these challenges by serving as electron conduits and providing essential iron. This review contributes a thorough overview of the application of magnetic nanoparticles loaded into biochar in anaerobic digestion and engages in a comprehensive discussion regarding the synthesis methods and characterization of various magnetic nanoparticles, elucidating their mechanisms of action in both the absence and presence of magnetic fields. Our review underscores the predominance of co-precipitation (53%) and commercially sourced nanoparticles (29%) as the main synthesis methods, with chemical reduction, pyrolysis, and green synthesis pathways less commonly utilized (8%, 5%, and 5%, respectively). Notably, pyrolysis is predominantly employed for synthesizing magnetic biochar nanocomposites, reflecting its prevalence in 100% of cases for this specific application. By offering a critical evaluation of the current state of knowledge and discussing the challenges and future directions for research in this field, this review can help researchers and practitioners better understand the potential of magnetic biochar nanocomposites for enhancing anaerobic digestion performance and ultimately advancing sustainable waste management and renewable energy production.</p><h3 data-test=\"abstract-sub-heading\">Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000","PeriodicalId":8789,"journal":{"name":"Biochar","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141506193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}