The use of biochar as ameliorator for soil arsenic

Abstract

Biochar and biomass were applied at the rate of 5 t/ha to soils that received
arsenic containing water at a rate of 1 mg/l arsenic (80% arsenite and 20%
arsenate). After 36 days of growth of Kalmi plants, the yield parameters, such as
arsenic accumulation and fate of arsenic vis‐á‐vis biochar addition had been
examined. The results showed that the addition of biochar had a positive but
non‐significant impact on the yield parameters. Addition of biochar in the soil
insignificantly increased the number of plants and the uptake of arsenic while
the concentrations of extractable arsenic in soil decreased with biochar
treatments. Source of biochar has a role to play towards this direction