TY - JOUR
T1 - Biochar pH reduction using elemental sulfur and biological activation using compost or vermicompost
AU - Al-Rabaiai, Ahmed
AU - Menezes-Blackburn, Daniel
AU - Al-Ismaily, Said
AU - Janke, Rhonda
AU - Al-Alawi, Ahmed
AU - Al-Kindi, Mohamed
AU - Bol, Roland
N1 - Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/6/1
Y1 - 2024/6/1
N2 - This study aimed to improve biochar's quality for arid land applications by using elemental sulfur as a pH reducer agent co-applied with compost or vermicompost as biological activators. Biochar pH was decreased by the addition of elemental sulfur, with the highest reduction from 8.1 to 7.2 occurring when co-amended with vermicompost. Elemental sulfur increased the water-soluble concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and many other elements, and stimulated substrate-induced respiration, especially when co-amended with vermicompost. The bacterial diversity community structure were significantly affected by all treatments. The Shannon index significantly increased in response to compost and sulfur treatments, while the vermicompost treatments showed higher microbial evenness and equitability diversity indices. Multivariate analyses indicated that elemental sulfur oxidation was associated with specific sulfur-oxidizing bacterial clusters. Integrating biochar with sulfur and (vermi)compost was found to be a promising sustainable technology for managing excessive biochar alkalinity, increasing its fertility and potential for application in aridlands.
AB - This study aimed to improve biochar's quality for arid land applications by using elemental sulfur as a pH reducer agent co-applied with compost or vermicompost as biological activators. Biochar pH was decreased by the addition of elemental sulfur, with the highest reduction from 8.1 to 7.2 occurring when co-amended with vermicompost. Elemental sulfur increased the water-soluble concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and many other elements, and stimulated substrate-induced respiration, especially when co-amended with vermicompost. The bacterial diversity community structure were significantly affected by all treatments. The Shannon index significantly increased in response to compost and sulfur treatments, while the vermicompost treatments showed higher microbial evenness and equitability diversity indices. Multivariate analyses indicated that elemental sulfur oxidation was associated with specific sulfur-oxidizing bacterial clusters. Integrating biochar with sulfur and (vermi)compost was found to be a promising sustainable technology for managing excessive biochar alkalinity, increasing its fertility and potential for application in aridlands.
KW - Biochar acidification
KW - Date palm leaves
KW - Microbial diversity
KW - Pyrolysis
KW - Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85191252465&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85191252465&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b3fa7429-74c5-3e53-9b70-50beeea809f4/
U2 - 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130707
DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130707
M3 - Article
C2 - 38663636
AN - SCOPUS:85191252465
SN - 0960-8524
VL - 401
JO - Bioresource Technology
JF - Bioresource Technology
M1 - 130707
ER -