Biochar is recognized as an efficient amendment and soil improver. However, environmental and quality assessments are needed to ensure the sustainability of its use in agriculture. This work considers the biochar's chemical-physical characterization and its potential phyto- and geno-toxicity, assessed with germination and Ames tests, obtaining valuable information for a safe field application. Three biochar types, obtained from gasification at different temperatures of green biomasses from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines (in Italy), were compared through a broad chemical, physical and biological evaluation. The results obtained showed the relevance of temperature in determining the chemical and morphological properties of biochar, which was shown with several analytical techniques such as the elemental composition, water holding capacity, ash content, but also with FTIR and X-ray spectroscopies. These techniques showed the presence of different relevant surface aliphatic and aromatic groups. The procedures for evaluating the potential toxicity using seeds germination and Ames genotoxicity assay highlights that biochar does not cause detrimental effects when it enters in contact with soil, micro- and macro-organisms, and plants. The genotoxicity test provided a new highlight in evaluating biochar environmental safety.

Building a risk matrix for the safety assessment of wood derived biochars / Marmiroli, Marta; Caldara, Marina; Pantalone, Serena; Malchewschi, Alessio; Maestri, Elena; Keller, Arturo A.; Marmiroli, Nelson. - In: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 1879-1026. - 839:15(2022). [10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156265]

Building a risk matrix for the safety assessment of wood derived biochars

Marta Marmiroli;Marina Caldara;Alessio Malchewschi;Elena Maestri;Nelson Marmiroli
2022-01-01

Abstract

Biochar is recognized as an efficient amendment and soil improver. However, environmental and quality assessments are needed to ensure the sustainability of its use in agriculture. This work considers the biochar's chemical-physical characterization and its potential phyto- and geno-toxicity, assessed with germination and Ames tests, obtaining valuable information for a safe field application. Three biochar types, obtained from gasification at different temperatures of green biomasses from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines (in Italy), were compared through a broad chemical, physical and biological evaluation. The results obtained showed the relevance of temperature in determining the chemical and morphological properties of biochar, which was shown with several analytical techniques such as the elemental composition, water holding capacity, ash content, but also with FTIR and X-ray spectroscopies. These techniques showed the presence of different relevant surface aliphatic and aromatic groups. The procedures for evaluating the potential toxicity using seeds germination and Ames genotoxicity assay highlights that biochar does not cause detrimental effects when it enters in contact with soil, micro- and macro-organisms, and plants. The genotoxicity test provided a new highlight in evaluating biochar environmental safety.
2022
Building a risk matrix for the safety assessment of wood derived biochars / Marmiroli, Marta; Caldara, Marina; Pantalone, Serena; Malchewschi, Alessio; Maestri, Elena; Keller, Arturo A.; Marmiroli, Nelson. - In: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 1879-1026. - 839:15(2022). [10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156265]
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/2924969
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 8
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 8
social impact