Biomaterial Biochar for Soil Carbon Sequestration Strategy and Its Future Prospects

Abstract

Biochar has received a great deal of attention during the last few years. This multifunctional biomaterial has multiple modes of interactions and distinctive characteristics, which enable its wider applications such as in carbon sequestration, contaminant immobilization, greenhouse gas reduction, soil fertilization, water filtration, etc. Variability and predominance of a specific interaction are attributed to feedstock types and conditions of biochar production. Biochar is a product of burning waste organic matter such as wood, grasses, crop residues, lignite and manure, under conditions of limited oxygen during pyrolysis processes. The production of biochar from agricultural wastes is able to significantly reduce the volume andweight of the wastes. Because of this character, biocharis considered as a promising means for managing the biomass wastes. The changes in the ratios of H/C and O/C occurred during pyrolysis processes transform the molecular structures and arrangement of the atoms and result in high stability, aromaticity and recalcitrant characteristics of the biochar.Biochar can therefore keep carbon content for 100s-1000s years in soil which is crucial for soil health. Those biochar characteristics play beneficial role to mitigate CO2 emission byenhancing long-term carbon sequestration and its strong sorption affinity for organic contaminants. Therecalcitrant and longer life time nature of biochar draw carbon from the atmosphere and stabilize organic carbon in soil providing a carbon sink whilst improvingwater and soil quality. In this paper we discuss recent research development on biochar application for soil carbon sequestration and its future prospects. The results of our research on amendment of biochar from low rank coal lignite to the soil of palm oil plantation in stabilization of soil dissolved organic carbon are also discussed.