5.1. Achievements
The intent of this project was to convert a variety of waste biomass to valuable bioproducts. More specifically, this project investigated the potential of biochar as a soil amendment in sustainable agricultural practice. In this study, various biochars were produced from a variety of feedstocks under different conditions, and their properties characterized. A series of laboratory sorption experiments was conducted to investigate the sorption kinetics and removal mechanisms of nutrients (NH4+ and PO43-) by biochar. A field trial was conducted in an agricultural field to determine the efficacy of biochar application to soil in increasing crop yields while at the same time reducing chemical fertilizer use. The outcomes of this project are summarized as follows:
Generated a body of knowledge concerning biochar production, characteristics, nutrient holding potential, and its role as a soil amendment for sustainable agriculture.
Completed the first field experiment of biochar as a soil amendment in IL and demonstrated its effectiveness as a soil amendment in corn production.
Demonstrated that the use of chemical fertilizer can be reduced when fertile soil is amended with biochar. This finding could have a significant environmental benefit in Illinois. Illinois farmers usually use large amounts of chemical fertillizers. However, many of the nutrients in these fertilizers are lost because of leaching and runoff. This adversely affects surrounding bodies of water because the nutrient runoff causes eutrophication of streams, rivers, and lakes within Illinois and they are also transported south to the Gulf of Mexico. The results of this project indicate that adding biochar to fertile soil can reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and thereby minimize nutrient loading of nearby bodies of water.
Hosted a biochar conference to educate the agricultural research community about current biochar research and applications. Presentations from the conference are available at:
http://www.istc.illinois.edu/research/biocharsymposium2010.cfm
Published a peer-reviewed paper in a scientific journal. An additional two manuscripts are in preparation. The research results were presented at a national ACS meeting in 2009 and at the Naturally Illinois Expo in 2010.
5.2. Outlook
Long-term outlook: Unlike compost and manure, biochar does not need to be applied repeatedly. This study was only a one-year field trial. The data from this short-term localized study will need to be supported by additional long-term studies or in general farming practice to determine the long term effect of biochar amendment on soil quality and crop yield. Therefore, additional field studies using biochar as a soil amendment over a longer period of time is recommended.
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Low fertile soil: The field soil used in this project is typical fertile Illinois soil. Adding biochar to lower quality soils in Illinois may provide greater benefit.
Phytotoxic and potentially carcinogenic chemical contaminants: Biochar usually contains small amounts of phytotoxic and potentially carcinogenic organic compounds such as PAHs. These emerging contaminants may be released into soil, translocate to plants, and enter the food chain. Therefore, a full environmental risk assessment is necessary before widespread adoption for biochar as a soil amendment can be recommended.