Study of the mechanism of remediation of Cd-contaminated soil by novel biochars

Abstract

This article used novel non-magnetized and magnetized biochars prepared under a CO₂ atmosphere returned to Cd-contaminated soil and compared these to the effects of conventional biochars prepared under a N₂ atmosphere with regard to Cd-contaminated soil remediation. A pot experiment with lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was conducted to investigate the relative soil remediation effects of these biochars. The soil used for the pot experiment was spiked with 20 mg kg⁻¹ Cd and amended with 5% of a biochar before sowing. Through these research works, some important results were obtained as follows: (1) applying biochar treated by pyrolysis under a CO₂ atmosphere can obtain the best remediation effect of Cd-contaminated soil that the content of cadmium in the lettuce roots, stems, and leaves was reduced 67, 62, and 63%, respectively; (2) the magnetic biochar aggregation for the soil is weak, so the heavy metal cadmium in the soil could not be immobilized well by the magnetic biochar; (3) The remediation mechanism of novel biochars is that biochar includes a large number of organic functional groups (−C–OH, −C=O, COO−) that can act in a complexing reaction with heavy metal Cd(II) and the inorganic salt ions (Si, S, Cl, etc.) that can combine with cadmium and generate a stable combination.

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