Effects of Biochars on Sorption and Desorption of Herbicides in Soil

Abstract

The behavior of herbicides in soil is important for understanding their fate, environmental risks, and impacts on nontarget organisms. With the advancement of agriculture in recent years, concern has increased over the toxic effects of herbicides on the environment and humans. Biochar is a carbonaceous material produced by heating plant waste, solid animal dung, and other organic waste in oxygen-limited atmospheres. The addition of biochar to soil has often been reported to be showing benefits of a fertilizer, soil conditioner, water retention, carbon sequestration, and a potential sorbent for herbicides and can directly interfere with sorption and desorption when applied pre-emergence and reduce weed control efficacy. The increased sorption of herbicides by biochar decreases their loss through dissipation, decreasing the risk of human exposure and environmental pollution. However, factors such as the raw material, application rate, type and temperature of production, aging, and chemical modifications of the biochar can directly influence the sorption response of herbicides. Thus, in this chapter, the potential of biochar in the sorption and desorption of different herbicides is reported, providing knowledge for the effective use of this promising soil modifier in environmental management.