Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity
The demand for intensive agriculture to boost food and crop production has increased. High nitrogen (N) fertilizer use is crucial for increasing agricultural productivity but often leads to significant nitrate losses, posing risks to surface and groundwater quality. This study examines the role of b...
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| author | Riad Eissa Lordwin Jeyakumar David B. McKenzie Jianghua Wu |
| author_facet | Riad Eissa Lordwin Jeyakumar David B. McKenzie Jianghua Wu |
| author_sort | Riad Eissa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The demand for intensive agriculture to boost food and crop production has increased. High nitrogen (N) fertilizer use is crucial for increasing agricultural productivity but often leads to significant nitrate losses, posing risks to surface and groundwater quality. This study examines the role of biochar as a soil amendment to enhance nutrient retention and mitigate nitrate leaching. By improving nitrogen efficiency, biochar offers a sustainable strategy to reduce the environmental impacts of intensive agriculture while maintaining soil fertility. An incubation study investigated four biochar feedstocks: spruce bark biochar at 550 °C (SB550), hardwood biochar (75% sugar maple) at 500 °C (HW500), sawdust (fir/spruce) biochar at 427 °C (FS427), and softwood biochar at 500 °C (SW500), to identify the most effective nitrate adsorbent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were employed to analyze biochar morphology and surface functional groups. Adsorption isotherms were modeled using the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The results indicated that surface functional groups, such as aromatic C=C stretching and bending, aromatic C–H bending, and phenolic O–H bending, play crucial roles in enhancing electrostatic attraction and, consequently, the nitrate adsorption capacity of biochar. The equilibrium adsorption data from this study fit well with both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Among the four biochar types tested, SB550 exhibited the highest nitrate adsorption capacity, with a maximum of 184 mg/g. The adsorption data showed excellent conformity to the Langmuir and Freundlich models, with correlation coefficients (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup>) exceeding 0.987 for all biochar types. These findings highlight the high accuracy of these models in predicting nitrate adsorption capacities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7826cc6e0e5b4e4da8edfc437bae915a |
| institution | DOAJ |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-7826cc6e0e5b4e4da8edfc437bae915a2025-08-20T02:55:57ZengMDPI AGEarth2673-48342024-12-01541080109610.3390/earth5040055Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption CapacityRiad Eissa0Lordwin Jeyakumar1David B. McKenzie2Jianghua Wu3Department of Soil and Water, Faculty of Agriculture, Sebha University, Sebha P.O. Box 18758, LibyaNova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, 1903 Barrington (2nd Floor), Suite 2085, P.O. Box 442, Halifax, NS B3J 2P8, CanadaAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. John’s Research and Development Centre, St. John’s, NL A1E 6J5, CanadaEnvironmental Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, CanadaThe demand for intensive agriculture to boost food and crop production has increased. High nitrogen (N) fertilizer use is crucial for increasing agricultural productivity but often leads to significant nitrate losses, posing risks to surface and groundwater quality. This study examines the role of biochar as a soil amendment to enhance nutrient retention and mitigate nitrate leaching. By improving nitrogen efficiency, biochar offers a sustainable strategy to reduce the environmental impacts of intensive agriculture while maintaining soil fertility. An incubation study investigated four biochar feedstocks: spruce bark biochar at 550 °C (SB550), hardwood biochar (75% sugar maple) at 500 °C (HW500), sawdust (fir/spruce) biochar at 427 °C (FS427), and softwood biochar at 500 °C (SW500), to identify the most effective nitrate adsorbent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were employed to analyze biochar morphology and surface functional groups. Adsorption isotherms were modeled using the Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The results indicated that surface functional groups, such as aromatic C=C stretching and bending, aromatic C–H bending, and phenolic O–H bending, play crucial roles in enhancing electrostatic attraction and, consequently, the nitrate adsorption capacity of biochar. The equilibrium adsorption data from this study fit well with both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Among the four biochar types tested, SB550 exhibited the highest nitrate adsorption capacity, with a maximum of 184 mg/g. The adsorption data showed excellent conformity to the Langmuir and Freundlich models, with correlation coefficients (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup>) exceeding 0.987 for all biochar types. These findings highlight the high accuracy of these models in predicting nitrate adsorption capacities.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/5/4/55biocharfeedstocknitrateadsorption capacityLangmuir and Freundlich models |
| spellingShingle | Riad Eissa Lordwin Jeyakumar David B. McKenzie Jianghua Wu Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity Earth biochar feedstock nitrate adsorption capacity Langmuir and Freundlich models |
| title | Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity |
| title_full | Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity |
| title_short | Influence of Biochar Feedstocks on Nitrate Adsorption Capacity |
| title_sort | influence of biochar feedstocks on nitrate adsorption capacity |
| topic | biochar feedstock nitrate adsorption capacity Langmuir and Freundlich models |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/5/4/55 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT riadeissa influenceofbiocharfeedstocksonnitrateadsorptioncapacity AT lordwinjeyakumar influenceofbiocharfeedstocksonnitrateadsorptioncapacity AT davidbmckenzie influenceofbiocharfeedstocksonnitrateadsorptioncapacity AT jianghuawu influenceofbiocharfeedstocksonnitrateadsorptioncapacity |