Recently, I have been involved in Biochar application and its relevant environmental issues. The main purpose of this discussion is to make an active and efficient atmosphere to share new Ideas and find partners to work in this arena. Me myself is really willing to work in numerical modelling of fate of contaminant in biochar amended soil. The second aim is to build a virtual community to spread the advantages of biochar for our blue planet. Do you agree?
Check my papers and presentations for some references and clues. Also, you might want to visit: www.indeseem.org and explore down on the Agriculture & Food Security tab on the site down to Biochar Resources.
Dear Ali,
In the current state of knowledge, biochar seems to have the potential to store carbon in the soil medium and long term while having properties for amendment and improvement of some soils. This interest, coupled with the possibility of biofuel production and development of the carbon market, have led many interest groups and to promote it in international forums. However before encouraging its use, a number of questions remain:
The stability of this form of carbon in the soil is it guaranteed? The coal is stable in sediments and soils, at least in certain conditions of humidity and of anoxia, but will degrade more rapidly in other environments.
The beneficial effects of biochar on the properties of some soils are they extrapolated and persistent in time?
The understanding of the mechanisms is necessary and requires a lot of research. There is no evidence that the incorporation of biochar allows to reproduce the Terra Preta soils types. The development of these soils mechanisms are not understood and seem much more complex. Many authors question the value of using in drylands.
How much can you incorporate biochar in soils to be effective as an amendment and significant in terms of storage? Biochar is powdery, low density, soil incorporation in large quantities and burial seem difficult from a technical point of view.
How can we produce biochar favorably from an economic and environmental point of view? The production of biofuel and biochar, even from by-products may compete with other uses: livestock production, even with the maintenance of the organic matter and humus in the soil. Biomass production dedicated to the production of biofuel and biochar raises competition problems with other productions. This is particularly true in drier areas where crop residues are scarce.
What is the overall energy balance and carbon production by pyrolysis of biofuel and biochar? No quantitative estimate was found about it.
In conclusion, biochar does not seem to be a ready-made solution to the problem of land restoration and carbon storage. Its interest in the fight against desertification in drylands is absolutely not proven. It now seems possible and advantageous to use the pyrolysis for the production of biofuel and biochar to enhance the residues from the forest industry and improve soil acidic wetlands.
In some favorable situations, the development of biochar is one of atmospheric carbon sequestration tool, but certainly not a panacea. In particular, studies should be conducted to find out the mechanisms of action of biochar in soils before encourage its generalization.
Similarly for biofuels, the enthusiasm can create the prospect of new economic activities does not absolve of comprehensive studies on the overall impact of these new channels, both on ecosystems than on peasant societies for which has announced an improvement in their condition.
With my best regards
Prof. Bachir ACHOUR
Dr.Achour l appreciate and agree with many of your valid points.The role of biochar in nutrient contribution, water holding capacity and even liming action is limited.One should not attempt biochar preparation from crop residues and manures. At the most woody materials can be used for biochars preparation if they are in excess and not competitive for other uses. Studies need to made to get reliable methods to find out its longevity in soil system. It is also not known how biochar reduces or lowers green house gas emissions.
Thanks all in advance
Your points and ideas are really outsanding. This is why I am researching about biochar. According to many field trials or pot ones the growth of plants under biochar usage is by far more than control samples. So farmers would be delighted. Remediation and stabilization of contaminants is the second merit. Here I am looking for a way to pyrolse the sewage sludge and produce its biochar to get ride of this hazardous material. However, there is still unknown points regarding remaining contaminats in product. To study this matter and interaction of plant soil and sewage sludge biochar it seems necessary to simulate the longterm usage of this material in laboratory. How is this possible to create aging effect?
For soil:
I advise you to read "Environmental benefits and risks of biochar application to soil"
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 191 (2014) 1–4
Too much advantages are being attributed to biochar. Please also consider the materials available to prepare biochar when crop residues and manures are excluded as mentioned by Dr. Rao. Also keep in mind forest area is decreasing in most of the countries while crop shoots are used as animal feed in developing countries as well as for meeting domestic energy needs in most of the developing countries.
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