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We are pleased to announce the latest article by Dr. Magdalena Kończak (Department of Hydrology and Climatology, UMCS), which has been published in the prestigious journal Bioresource Technology:
Sokołowski A., Boguszewska-Czubara A., Kobyłecki R., Zarzycki R., Kończak M., Oleszczuk P., Gao Y., Czech B., 2024: Increased oxygen content in biochar lowered bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons–related toxicity to various organisms. Bioresource Technology, 407, 131110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131110
The article examines the impact of feedstock and pyrolysis temperature on the physicochemical properties of biochar, as well as the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals, and their toxicity to various organisms (bacteria, terrestrial and aquatic plants, arthropods, and fish).
The application of biochar in agriculture or environmental protection involves the introduction of biochar-derived components, among which PAHs and heavy metals are the most toxic. Their presence and bioavailability are crucial for biochar toxicity. The study established the effect of feedstock and pyrolysis temperature on the physicochemical properties of produced biochar and contaminant content, which was then linked to toxicity to a broad range of organisms. The data revealed that predicting PAH bioavailability based on total content is misleading. Biochar toxicity was influenced by bioavailable PAHs > ash content > total PAH content, highlighting the role of biochar's physicochemical properties. Among the tested properties, oxygen-containing functional groups on the biochar surface played a crucial role in revealing toxicity. The data clearly indicate that additional research is required to determine biochar's impact on various organisms, and performing a single ecotoxicity test is not sufficient.
The research was conducted as part of the NCN project: Sheng 2 No. 2021/40/Q/NZ8/00006.
Publication list of Institute staff
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