(Salix sp.) application from 30 to 60 t ha
À1 , shoot tissue of ryegrass extracted
significantly higher (P < 0:05) concentrations of As. The Al (III)-modified biochar,
prepared from the rice straw, soybean residue, and peanut, had higher sorption
capacity for As (V) under acidic conditions compared with unchanged biochar,
increased with decreasing suspension pH, and could substitute Fe/Al oxides used
for water purification under acidic conditions at pH > 4.0 (Qian et al. 2013).
8 Impact of Biochar on Degraded and Contaminated Land
Land has vast majority of ecosystem on this planet, but the various anthropogenic
activities are affecting the environmental balance; therefore, there is the need of
some adequate policy related to environmental protection such as properly treated
wastewater that should be discharged from different industries and proper management of daily discharge wastewater from household. In this concern, some biotechnological technique can be used in the management of environmental pollution like
bioremediation and biodegradation as well as phytoremediation with the use of
biochar as carrier to driving this process. The adequate restoration of degraded and
contaminated land requires cooperation, integration, and assimilation of different
biotechnological advances (Mani and Kumar 2014). Additionally, the recovery and
restoration of degraded land could be by application of activated charcoal, pyrolyzed
biomass, and organic fertilizers alone and combined amendments in affected land.
Furthermore, it has been well supported that the use of biochar and fungi (arbuscular
mycorrhizal) may facilitate grassland recovery in severely degraded habitats and the
promotion of grassland ecosystem sustainability also (Ohsowski et al. 2012).
Biochar amendment significantly increased plant roots’ length, enhanced root establishment in contaminated soils, and reduced Cu uptake to plants compared to the
unamended soil (Brennan et al. 2014). Belyaeva and Haynes (2012) reported that
biochar had a little or no stimulatory effect on the size of the soil microbial
community composition, soil microbial biomass, N fertility, or plant growth during
revegetation (Belyaeva and Haynes 2012). Biochar could adsorb soil Cd and Cu in
industrial wastewater treatment but does not promote the growth of the wetland plant
species (Juncus subsecundus) during early growth stage, maybe due to the negative
interaction between biochar and waterlogged plants (Zhang et al. 2013). Therefore,
further study is required to illuminate the proper mechanisms.
9 Influence of Biochar on Bioavailable PAH
The addition of biochar in contamination soil could reduce the bioavailable fraction
of all PAH groups, promoting the remediation in amended soils. Likewise, other
carbon-rich materials (sorbents) like activated carbon have previously been shown to
reduce the bioavailable fraction of PAHs. Brandli et al. (2008) found that the
484
C. Singh et al.
À1 , shoot tissue of ryegrass extracted
significantly higher (P < 0:05) concentrations of As. The Al (III)-modified biochar,
prepared from the rice straw, soybean residue, and peanut, had higher sorption
capacity for As (V) under acidic conditions compared with unchanged biochar,
increased with decreasing suspension pH, and could substitute Fe/Al oxides used
for water purification under acidic conditions at pH > 4.0 (Qian et al. 2013).
8 Impact of Biochar on Degraded and Contaminated Land
Land has vast majority of ecosystem on this planet, but the various anthropogenic
activities are affecting the environmental balance; therefore, there is the need of
some adequate policy related to environmental protection such as properly treated
wastewater that should be discharged from different industries and proper management of daily discharge wastewater from household. In this concern, some biotechnological technique can be used in the management of environmental pollution like
bioremediation and biodegradation as well as phytoremediation with the use of
biochar as carrier to driving this process. The adequate restoration of degraded and
contaminated land requires cooperation, integration, and assimilation of different
biotechnological advances (Mani and Kumar 2014). Additionally, the recovery and
restoration of degraded land could be by application of activated charcoal, pyrolyzed
biomass, and organic fertilizers alone and combined amendments in affected land.
Furthermore, it has been well supported that the use of biochar and fungi (arbuscular
mycorrhizal) may facilitate grassland recovery in severely degraded habitats and the
promotion of grassland ecosystem sustainability also (Ohsowski et al. 2012).
Biochar amendment significantly increased plant roots’ length, enhanced root establishment in contaminated soils, and reduced Cu uptake to plants compared to the
unamended soil (Brennan et al. 2014). Belyaeva and Haynes (2012) reported that
biochar had a little or no stimulatory effect on the size of the soil microbial
community composition, soil microbial biomass, N fertility, or plant growth during
revegetation (Belyaeva and Haynes 2012). Biochar could adsorb soil Cd and Cu in
industrial wastewater treatment but does not promote the growth of the wetland plant
species (Juncus subsecundus) during early growth stage, maybe due to the negative
interaction between biochar and waterlogged plants (Zhang et al. 2013). Therefore,
further study is required to illuminate the proper mechanisms.
9 Influence of Biochar on Bioavailable PAH
The addition of biochar in contamination soil could reduce the bioavailable fraction
of all PAH groups, promoting the remediation in amended soils. Likewise, other
carbon-rich materials (sorbents) like activated carbon have previously been shown to
reduce the bioavailable fraction of PAHs. Brandli et al. (2008) found that the
484
C. Singh et al.