Research Progress in Biochar and Microbial Remediation for Heavy Metal Agricultural Soil

Dear Colleagues,

Biochar (BC) is a carbon product that is synthesized via the pyrolysis of biological materials in the absence of oxygen. Currently, the production of BC is considered one of the best solutions to systematically reduce the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere as a result of exclusion and sequestration. BC is a porous material with a large sorption surface area containing many functional groups. These features allow BC to be used as a soil conditioner that increases the organic carbon content, regulates the pH, and retains water in the soil. Biochar reduces the mobility of heavy metals in the soil, as well as the uptake and accumulation of these metals in plant biomass.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide insight into methods of improving the structural and physicochemical properties of BC and enhance its potential in the microbial remediation and phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils. Also of relevance are the effects of BC on plant growth, soil microorganism activity, and diversity, and the stability of heavy metals and their distribution between exchangeable, reducible, oxidisable and residual fractions, as well as the possible hazards associated with BC application in agricultural soils.

Dr. Małgorzata Majewska
Dr. Agnieszka Hanaka
Guest Editors

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