Molecular understanding of dissolved black carbon sorption in soil-water environment

Abstract

Dissolved black carbon (DBC) involves in many biogeochemical processes in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. About 26.5 Tg of charcoal- or black carbon-derived DBC was released into aquatic environments annually, accounting to ∼10% of the global riverine flux of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Yet the sorption behaviors of DBC and their effects on water quality in soil-water environment are poorly understood. Here we examined the molecular composition variations of DOC induced by the sorption of two biochar-derived DBCs (pyrolyzed at 300 °C and 500 °C) on three contrasting soils. The DBCs were adsorbed mainly through competitive displacement of soil surface functional groups and co-sorption with soil indigenous DOC, which varied with soil properties and the aromaticity of the DBCs. Ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry analysis indicated that compounds with rich oxygen content or unsaturated structures such as tannins and unsaturated aromatics from both DBC and soil DOC, were preferentially adsorbed on the soils in the presence of DBC. In contrast, compounds with high aromatic structures including condensed aromatics and lignins were concentrated in the aquatic phase. Molecular fractionation also occurred to the heteroatomic compounds during the sorption, and the heteroatomic dissolved organic sulphur in the DBCs was easier to be adsorbed relative to dissolved organic nitrogen. Our results suggest that DBC sorption in soil-water environment could have important implications for water quality by altering DOC molecular composition and decreasing DOC molecular diversity at the soil-water interface. This study provides essential information for understanding the behavior of DBC in the environments.