Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment

Decarbonized coal gasification slag (DCGS) is a coal-based solid waste generated from raw coal through the processes of gasification and decarbonization. However, the excessive production of DCGS has caused large-scale environmental problems and seriously affected the sustainable development of coal...

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Main Authors: Longfei Kang, Qiang Li, Kenneth Dumack, Kaiyu Zhang, Yulin Xiang, Jiangdong Bian, Feng Ai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325004403
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author Longfei Kang
Qiang Li
Kenneth Dumack
Kaiyu Zhang
Yulin Xiang
Jiangdong Bian
Feng Ai
author_facet Longfei Kang
Qiang Li
Kenneth Dumack
Kaiyu Zhang
Yulin Xiang
Jiangdong Bian
Feng Ai
author_sort Longfei Kang
collection DOAJ
description Decarbonized coal gasification slag (DCGS) is a coal-based solid waste generated from raw coal through the processes of gasification and decarbonization. However, the excessive production of DCGS has caused large-scale environmental problems and seriously affected the sustainable development of coal chemical enterprises. It’s urgent to explore a high-value utilization approach. Here, a field trial was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of soil amendment using DCGS in a sandy soil. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing, soil quality approach and partial least squares path modeling were used to assess the responses of soil properties and relative forage value (RFV) of Leymus chinensis to DCGS addition in soil-plant-microbe system. Results showed that DCGS addition significantly increased soil pH, soil organic carbon (22.4 %), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity (16.5 %) and α-diversity of bacterial communities (1.37 %). Soil microbial biomass CNP in DCGS1, DCGS2, DCGS3 and DCGS4 treatments were 10.7 %, 21.3 %, 44.8 % and 69.1 % higher than control check (CK) treatment, respectively. Our study emphasized the β-diversity of bacterial communities and topological parameters of microbial co-occurrence networks were significantly altered after DCGS addition. Ultimately, higher soil quality and RFV of Leymus chinensis were obtained in DCGS addition treatments rather than the CK treatment (p < 0.01). Moreover, soil pH and p_Methylomirabilota were identified as the crucial factors affecting soil quality, while soil ALP and p_Entotheonellaeota were key factors affecting RFV of Leymus chinensis according to Mantel test. Our result further evidenced that there were relatively low ecological risk level after DCGS addition (Ecological Risk Index < 150), thus DCGS addition was considered as a potential method in improving soil quality. Taking into account the impact of DCGS addition on soil microbial community, soil quality, and ecological safety, the recommended application rate for sandy soil is 60 t·ha−1 (DCGS3). Our findings elucidate that soil amendment with DCGS not only enhance soil quality and RFV of Leymus chinensis, but also provide potential possibility for safe and environmentally friendly utilization of DCGS. These findings deepened our understanding of sustainable development and efficient management of DCGS.
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spelling doaj-art-d641ffb84ff448e180d35b696e7e6abc2025-08-20T02:09:07ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-04-0129411810410.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118104Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessmentLongfei Kang0Qiang Li1Kenneth Dumack2Kaiyu Zhang3Yulin Xiang4Jiangdong Bian5Feng Ai6Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration in Shaanbei Mining Area, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yulin University, Yulin, Shaanxi Province 719000, China; Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, GermanyShaanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration in Shaanbei Mining Area, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yulin University, Yulin, Shaanxi Province 719000, China; Corresponding author.Terrestrial Ecology, Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne 50674, GermanyShaanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration in Shaanbei Mining Area, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yulin University, Yulin, Shaanxi Province 719000, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province 222005, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration in Shaanbei Mining Area, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yulin University, Yulin, Shaanxi Province 719000, China; The Limited Liability Company of Yulin Zhongke Environmental Protection Technology Group, Yulin, Shaanxi Province 719000, ChinaShaanxi Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration in Shaanbei Mining Area, College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Yulin University, Yulin, Shaanxi Province 719000, China; State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, The Research Center of Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Education, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, ChinaDecarbonized coal gasification slag (DCGS) is a coal-based solid waste generated from raw coal through the processes of gasification and decarbonization. However, the excessive production of DCGS has caused large-scale environmental problems and seriously affected the sustainable development of coal chemical enterprises. It’s urgent to explore a high-value utilization approach. Here, a field trial was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of soil amendment using DCGS in a sandy soil. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing, soil quality approach and partial least squares path modeling were used to assess the responses of soil properties and relative forage value (RFV) of Leymus chinensis to DCGS addition in soil-plant-microbe system. Results showed that DCGS addition significantly increased soil pH, soil organic carbon (22.4 %), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity (16.5 %) and α-diversity of bacterial communities (1.37 %). Soil microbial biomass CNP in DCGS1, DCGS2, DCGS3 and DCGS4 treatments were 10.7 %, 21.3 %, 44.8 % and 69.1 % higher than control check (CK) treatment, respectively. Our study emphasized the β-diversity of bacterial communities and topological parameters of microbial co-occurrence networks were significantly altered after DCGS addition. Ultimately, higher soil quality and RFV of Leymus chinensis were obtained in DCGS addition treatments rather than the CK treatment (p < 0.01). Moreover, soil pH and p_Methylomirabilota were identified as the crucial factors affecting soil quality, while soil ALP and p_Entotheonellaeota were key factors affecting RFV of Leymus chinensis according to Mantel test. Our result further evidenced that there were relatively low ecological risk level after DCGS addition (Ecological Risk Index < 150), thus DCGS addition was considered as a potential method in improving soil quality. Taking into account the impact of DCGS addition on soil microbial community, soil quality, and ecological safety, the recommended application rate for sandy soil is 60 t·ha−1 (DCGS3). Our findings elucidate that soil amendment with DCGS not only enhance soil quality and RFV of Leymus chinensis, but also provide potential possibility for safe and environmentally friendly utilization of DCGS. These findings deepened our understanding of sustainable development and efficient management of DCGS.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325004403Decarbonized coal gasification slagResource utilization of solid wasteSoil amendmentMicrobial communitiesSoil quality
spellingShingle Longfei Kang
Qiang Li
Kenneth Dumack
Kaiyu Zhang
Yulin Xiang
Jiangdong Bian
Feng Ai
Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Decarbonized coal gasification slag
Resource utilization of solid waste
Soil amendment
Microbial communities
Soil quality
title Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
title_full Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
title_fullStr Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
title_full_unstemmed Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
title_short Resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement: New insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
title_sort resource utilization of decarbonized coal gasification slag in soil quality improvement new insights into microbial community composition and environmental risk assessment
topic Decarbonized coal gasification slag
Resource utilization of solid waste
Soil amendment
Microbial communities
Soil quality
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325004403
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