Unveiling the regulation of biochar and ferrihydrite on organic carbon stabilization, CH4 emission and microbial community in paddy soil.

Jatropha oilcake based biochar and hydrochar; synthesis, characterization, and comparison of their properties for supercapacitor applications

Cadmium-induced disruptions in soil nitrogen cycling: Unraveling microbial impacts, functional gene dynamics, and biochar's restoration potential.

Biodegradable mulch film-enriched with biochar, chicken feather, and oyster shell powder for improved soil quality and crop productivity.

Waste wood-derived dual Z-scheme WO3/ZnIn2S4/biochar heterojunctions design: Renewable biomass transition for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Lanthanum-modified biochar for dual removal of particulate/dissolved phosphorus in agricultural runoff: Performance and reuse as slow-release fertilizer.

Continuous cropping of faba bean severely degrades the soil ecosystem, leading to the accumulation of autotoxic compounds and pathogenic fungi, which further aggravates soilborne diseases. Among available strategies, the rational application of biochar has the potential to reshape soil microbial communities. This study aimed to elucidate the rhizosphere microbial mechanisms by which biochar (BC) mitigates Fusarium wilt. Wheat straw BC was applied at 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 3% to evaluate its effects on soil microbial community. Based on this, a pot experiment was conducted to systematically assess the effects of BC on Fusarium wilt incidence, autotoxic compound accumulation, soil microbial diversity and root pathogenesis-related protein (PR) expression following inoculation with BC-conditioned soils. Compared with the control, BC application mitigated Fusarium wilt, reducing the disease index by 16.66%-52.11%, with the greatest effect observed at 1%. At this level, BC decreased soil phenolic acid accumulation, increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, and reduced that of Ascomycota. BC-induced shifts enhanced the diversity, structure, and composition of rhizosphere microbial communities. Specifically, 1% BC increased the absolute abundance of Bacillus sp. by 119.01% and Sphingomonas sp. by 98.93%, decreased the absolute abundance of Fusarium commune sp. by 77.41%, and upregulated root PR protein gene expression, thereby alleviating Fusarium wilt. The application of 1% wheat straw BC effectively reshaped the soil microbial community, reduced autotoxic compound accumulation, improved soil health and suppressed Fusarium wilt. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

A fundamental challenge in photothermal material design lies in the inherent difficulty of harmonizing mechanical properties, environmental friendliness, and strong photothermal response within a single system. Inspired by the skin's hierarchical, damage-responsive extracellular matrix (ECM), this study presents a fully biobased, recyclable, and photothermally active composite by designing a triple dynamic cross-linking network. The system integrates epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) as the matrix, plant-derived phytic acid (PA) as a green curing agent, and agricultural waste-derived biochar (BC) as a multifunctional filler. The designed network comprises: (1) phosphate ester bonds between PA and ENR, emulating collagenous scaffolds; (2) β-hydroxy ester linkages formed at the BC-ENR interface, providing stable interfacial anchoring; and (3) an extensive hydrogen-bonding network that dissipates energy in a way similar to the amorphous ECM matrix. This biomimetic multilevel design leads to outstanding mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 11 MPa and an elongation at break of 509.7%, while retaining over 90% of the mechanical performance after reprocessing. In addition, the inherent photothermal capability of BC enables light-to-heat conversion, offering potential in energy-adaptive systems. This work presents a sustainable, ECM-inspired strategy for high-performance composites by integrating dynamic covalent and noncovalent bonds.

Biochar (BC) is a carbon-rich porous material, which can increase soil organic matter content. The impacts of BC on soil properties have been widely investigated, however, the impacts of BC on bioaccumulation of pesticides in crops and the toxic effects to crops are less studied. Herein, batch experiments were carried out, the BC (0.02, 0.2, 2%) and atrazine (ATR)/acetochlor (ACE) were applied individually or in combination into soil to separately cultivate soybean/maize in greenhouse. On day 45, soybean and maize were sampled to measure ATR or ACE concentration: ATR concentration in soybean of 2%BC + ATR treatment group reached 24.55ng/g, which was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of ATR-only treatment group (26.04ng/g); meanwhile, ACE concentration in maize of 2%BC + ACE treatment group reached 4.87ng/g, which was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of ACE-only treatment group (5.27ng/g). Results showed that BC in soil slightly reduced ATR/ACE entering soybean/maize plants, which was due to that the existence of BC accelerated the degradation of ATR and ACE. In addition, the changes in MDA content, root electrolytic leakage, total chlorophyll, and soluble sugar of soybean in 2%BC + ATR treatment group were 0.93-fold, 0.81-fold, 1.11-fold, and 1.1-fold of ATR-only treatment group; the changes in MDA content, root electrolytic leakage, total chlorophyll, and soluble sugar of maize in 2%BC + ACE treatment group were 0.88-fold, 0.95-fold, 1.16-fold, and 1.1-fold of ACE-only treatment group, indicating that BC mitigated pesticide-induced stress. This study provides novel insight of utilizing BC to deal with organic pollutants in soil.

Synergistic mitigation of algal-induced ultrafiltration membrane fouling by a sodium alginate and biochar pretreatment strategy.

Chromium (Cr), a redox-active heavy metal, induces oxidative stress in plants by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion, and hydroxyl radicals, which reduce plant productivity and yield. This study evaluated the potential of biochar (BC) derived from apricot kernel shells to alleviate Cr toxicity in Brassica juncea. The BC was characterized as amorphous, alkaline (pH 7.84), with a zeta potential of -22.3 mV, and elemental composition of C (60.70%), O (29.58%), H (2.65%), and N (0.77%). FTIR analysis revealed multiple oxygen-containing functional groups, suggesting its capacity to reduce Cr mobility. The alkaline nature and porous structure of the BC further support its immobilization potential. Seeds of B. juncea were germinated in soil treated with 0.5 mM and 0.75 mM Cr, with or without 1% BC (10 g/kg soil). Cr exposure significantly reduced photosynthetic pigments, with total chlorophyll declining by 30.8-49.1% and carotenoids by 25.7-50% compared to control, while pheophytin content increased by 13.9-45.3%. Application of BC improved chlorophyll content and reduced pheophytin accumulation. Secondary metabolites and osmolytes were enhanced under BC and stress treatments, with total phenols increased by up to 45% and total carbohydrates by up to 34%. Growth and germination parameters were also negatively affected by Cr, but BC treatment effectively mitigated these effects, improving root and shoot development. Overall, apricot kernel shell-derived BC alleviated Cr phytotoxicity by reducing metal availability and enhancing plant growth, photosynthetic performance, and metabolic activity. These findings highlight its potential as an eco-friendly and sustainable strategy for mitigating heavy metal stress in plants.

Driven by the urgent need to provide high-performance sustainable, high-performing composites as eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based materials in structural applications, this study explores enhancing partially bio-based epoxy (E) biocomposites with sustainable, biosourced Dracaena draco fibers (DdFs) and waste‑derived biochar (BC) to improve their mechanical and thermal properties. Short DdFs were extracted via water retting and added at 30 wt% to an E matrix, while BC from the same plant was incorporated at 0-5 wt%. Composites were produced by hand lay-up and vacuum bagging, then analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile and flexural testing, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Results showed that 30 wt% DdF significantly increased tensile and flexural strengths from 43.49 to 107.95MPa and from 29.38 to 50.86MPa, respectively, compared to pure E. Adding BC further boosted thermal stability, raising residual mass from 12% to 18% at 5 wt% and shifting degradation peaks to higher temperatures. The optimal reinforcement was achieved at a 3 wt% BC loading, yielding peak values of 107.95MPa for tensile strength and 50.86MPa for flexural strength. DMA confirmed enhancements in stiffness and glass transition temperature with increased BC, while XRD revealed reduced crystallinity due to BC's amorphous structure. Alongside experimental tests, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was developed to predict the mechanical and thermal response between composition and performance. The ANN predictions closely aligned with experimental data (R² > 0.9 for most properties), identified optimal points, and generated response curves for untested compositions. These findings demonstrate the potential of DdF and BC as sustainable, waste‑derived reinforcements for high‑performance bio-based composites, illustrating how ANN modeling can effectively optimize material design.

Toward greener electrochemical sensors: Comparative study of biochar and carbon black as carbon-based materials in screen-printed electrodes.

From Isatidis Radix waste to magnetic Fe3O4@Biochar: persulfate-activated efficient degradation of hazardous carbamazepine with mechanistic insights.

Biochar-enhanced alternating current-microbial remediation of petroleum-contaminated soil: Extracellular polymeric substances-mediated electron transfer pathway.

ABSTRACT Excessive inorganic fertilizer use leads to nitrogen (N) losses and environmental hazards, emphasizing the need for sustainable N management strategies. While recycling crop straw into agricultural soils can regulate N dynamics, the comparative efficacy of various straw‐derived carbon amendments remains unclear. In this 15 N tracing study, we evaluated the effects of three carbon amendments—direct straw addition (ST), straw combined with microbial inoculant (IN), and straw‐derived biochar (BC)—on N transformation processes in a subtropical red paddy soil (Ultisols) from Jiangxi, China, under non‐flooded and flooded conditions. Each amendment was applied at two carbon rates: 3.9 (low) and 11.7 (high) mg C g −1 soil, with equal carbon input across amendments at each rate. Our findings showed that ST and IN markedly accelerated N turnover, increasing gross N mineralization rates by 1.8 to 8.6 times, enhancing NH 4 + and NO 3 − immobilization, and promoting dissimilatory NO 3 − reduction to NH 4 + under both water conditions. In contrast, BC exhibited limited effects, except for an increase in NH 4 + and NO 3 − immobilization under flooded conditions at high application rates. Furthermore, ST and IN suppressed autotrophic nitrification by 68%–95%, whereas BC significantly stimulated nitrification rates by 1.9–3.4 times. Partial least squares path modeling indicated that amendment‐induced changes in soil properties shifted N‐cycling functional genes, which critically mediated these distinct N transformation patterns. Over the incubation period, soil inorganic N production pathways were less stimulated than consumption pathways, and the ratio of autotrophic nitrification to NH 4 + immobilization decreased under ST and IN amendment. Collectively, these changes enhanced soil N retention and reduced the risk of NO 3 − losses. Overall, this study underscores direct straw application as a more sustainable strategy to accelerate N turnover, improve soil N retention, and mitigate NO 3 − loss risks in red paddy soils.

Polylactic acid-based slow-release carbon source composite kaolin with modified biochar: Synergistic co-removal of nitrate, Cd(II), and diclofenac through manganese redox-coupled denitrification.

Green in-situ thermally crosslinked for geopolymer-waste biomass composite membranes for enhanced azo dyes removal.

Sulfur–soybean oil polymers with tunable thermal insulation properties were synthesized via inverse vulcanization of elemental sulfur and soybean oil and reinforced with biochar (BC) derived from spent barley biomass. Biopolymer films (F-BPs) with sulfur contents ranging from 20 to 80 wt% were prepared, and biochar-filled biocomposites (F-BP-Cs) were obtained using different filler loadings and processing routes. Their structural, morphological, thermal, mechanical, and surface properties were systematically analyzed to establish structure–property relationships, with particular focus on thermal transport behavior. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that sulfur contents ≤ 50 wt% favored the chemical incorporation of elemental sulfur into the polymer network via covalent bonding, significantly reducing the presence of free crystalline sulfur in the material. SEM images and porosity analysis revealed that BC incorporation and processing conditions significantly affected microstructural connectivity and air-filled porosity. As a result, F-BP-C materials exhibited low thermal conductivities, reaching values of ~0.033–0.039 W/(m·K), comparable to commercial insulating materials such as cork and polymeric foams. This reduction was attributed to increased structural disorder, high interfacial density, and enhanced phonon scattering within the heterogeneous polymer–BC–air system. These findings demonstrate the potential of these biocomposites as sustainable thermal insulating materials derived from industrial and agricultural waste.

The presence of cadmium (Cd) in aquatic systems can cause a serious risk to aquatic organisms and human health. In this study, biochar (BC) was prepared from blueberry pruning waste and activated via chemical (BC chem ), biological (BC bio ), and biochemical (BC biochem ) processes. BC chem corresponded to BC activated with polystyrene (PS) plastics, BC bio was a BC activated with vermicompost, and BC biochem was a BC activated with PS plastics and vermicompost. The adsorbents were evaluated for the removal of cadmium (Cd 2+ ) from aqueous systems. Surface characterization of the BCs was conducted using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and BET-specific surface area (S BET ) analyses. Different factors affecting Cd 2+ adsorption by BCs, such as application dose, initial pH, adsorption time (adsorption kinetics), initial Cd 2+ concentration (adsorption isotherms), and desorption studies were undertaken using batch systems. Characterization revealed that BC biochem (64.2 m 2 g -1 ) had a higher S BET than BC (6.2 m 2 g -1 ), BC bio (16.7 m 2 g -1 ), and BC chem (53.0 m 2 g -1 ). The Elovich kinetic model described ( r 2 ≥ 0.927 and χ 2 ≤ 0.17) the Cd 2+ adsorption data better than the pseudo-second-order and pseudo-first-order kinetic models for all BC samples. The Langmuir model ( r 2 ≥ 0.98 and χ 2 ≤ 0.10) fitted the Cd 2+ adsorption isotherms well for the BCs, indicating that the Cd 2+ adsorption occurred through a monolayer formation on a homogeneous surface. The BC biochem showed the maximum Cd 2+ adsorption capacity of 4.13 mg g -1 , which was nearly double that of other BCs. After four desorption cycles, the BC bio retained 1.05, 1.24, and 1.91 times higher Cd 2+ than BC biochem , BC chem , and BC, respectively. This study demonstrated that BC biochem was a highly efficient and economical alternative to conventional adsorbents for removing Cd 2+ from aqueous systems.