ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effect of Biochar Application on Heavy Metal
Mobility in Soils Impacted by Copper
Smelting Processes
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Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences,
Wrocław, Poland
Submission date: 2019-02-27
Final revision date: 2019-04-12
Acceptance date: 2019-04-24
Online publication date: 2019-12-05
Publication date: 2020-02-13
Corresponding author
Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek
Institute of Soil Sciences and Environmental Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2020;29(2):1749-1757
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ABSTRACT
Biochar seems to be a very promising material for remediation, reducing heavy metal mobility in
contaminated sites. However, the effect of its application on soil depends on biochar origin, pyrolysis
condition, soil type and properties like initial pH or cation exchange capacity, and also on metal form
and interactions. This makes prediction about successful remediation with biochar more difficult and
a lot of attention should be paid to choose the proper material appropriate to soil conditions. The aim
of our study was to evaluate wheat straw biochar application on multi-contaminated soil, to decrease
their mobility and minimize the risk of heavy metal occurrence in the area impacted by copper smelting
processes. The results of this study indicate that wheat straw biochar application can potentially reduce
Cu, Pb, Zn or Cd mobility only in sandy or acidified soils due to the liming effect. In alkaline soils
the effect of biochar application on metal immobilization was imperceptible. The effect of wheat straw
biochar on heavy metal immobilization in multi-contaminated soils is more complex and cannot be
defined as all-purpose material in remediation procedures.