The potential value of biochar in the mitigation of gaseous emission of nitrogen

Ramya Thangarajan; Nanthi S. Bolan; Anitha Kunhikrishnan; Hasintha Wijesekara; Yilu Xu; Daniel C.W. Tsang; Hocheol Song; Yong Sik Ok; Deyi Hou

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.242

The potential value of biochar in the mitigation of gaseous emission of nitrogen

Ramya Thangarajan, Nanthi S. Bolan, Anitha Kunhikrishnan, Hasintha Wijesekara, Yilu Xu, Daniel C.W. Tsang, Hocheol Song, Yong Sik Ok, Deyi Hou

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

80 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) losses through gaseous emission of ammonia (NH₃) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) can contribute to both economic loss and environmental degradation. This study examined the effect of biochar and a chemical nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), on N transformation and N losses via gaseous emission of NH₃ and N₂O from agricultural soils treated with a range of organic and inorganic N sources. The addition of DCD reduced N₂O emission from both organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 75%, but increased ammonium (NH₄⁺) concentration and subsequently induced high NH₃ emission from the soils. In contrast, the addition of biochar reduced both N₂O and NH₃ emissions from organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 23% and 43%, respectively. The effectiveness of biochar and DCD in reducing NH₃ volatilization and N₂O emission depends on the nature of the N sources and their initial mineral N concentration. The study demonstrated that biochar can be used to mitigate N losses resulting from NH₃ volatilization and N₂O emission.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	257-268
Number of pages	12
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	612
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.242
Publication status	Published - 2018 Jan 15

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Biochar
Gaseous emission
Nitrification inhibitors
Nitrogen transformations
Soil organic amendments

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Chemistry
Waste Management and Disposal
Pollution

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10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.242

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title = "The potential value of biochar in the mitigation of gaseous emission of nitrogen",

abstract = "Nitrogen (N) losses through gaseous emission of ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) can contribute to both economic loss and environmental degradation. This study examined the effect of biochar and a chemical nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), on N transformation and N losses via gaseous emission of NH3 and N2O from agricultural soils treated with a range of organic and inorganic N sources. The addition of DCD reduced N2O emission from both organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 75%, but increased ammonium (NH4+) concentration and subsequently induced high NH3 emission from the soils. In contrast, the addition of biochar reduced both N2O and NH3 emissions from organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 23% and 43%, respectively. The effectiveness of biochar and DCD in reducing NH3 volatilization and N2O emission depends on the nature of the N sources and their initial mineral N concentration. The study demonstrated that biochar can be used to mitigate N losses resulting from NH3 volatilization and N2O emission.",

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author = "Ramya Thangarajan and Bolan, {Nanthi S.} and Anitha Kunhikrishnan and Hasintha Wijesekara and Yilu Xu and Tsang, {Daniel C.W.} and Hocheol Song and Ok, {Yong Sik} and Deyi Hou",

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day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.242",

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AU - Thangarajan, Ramya

AU - Bolan, Nanthi S.

AU - Kunhikrishnan, Anitha

AU - Wijesekara, Hasintha

AU - Xu, Yilu

AU - Tsang, Daniel C.W.

AU - Song, Hocheol

AU - Ok, Yong Sik

AU - Hou, Deyi

PY - 2018/1/15

Y1 - 2018/1/15

N2 - Nitrogen (N) losses through gaseous emission of ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) can contribute to both economic loss and environmental degradation. This study examined the effect of biochar and a chemical nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), on N transformation and N losses via gaseous emission of NH3 and N2O from agricultural soils treated with a range of organic and inorganic N sources. The addition of DCD reduced N2O emission from both organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 75%, but increased ammonium (NH4+) concentration and subsequently induced high NH3 emission from the soils. In contrast, the addition of biochar reduced both N2O and NH3 emissions from organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 23% and 43%, respectively. The effectiveness of biochar and DCD in reducing NH3 volatilization and N2O emission depends on the nature of the N sources and their initial mineral N concentration. The study demonstrated that biochar can be used to mitigate N losses resulting from NH3 volatilization and N2O emission.

AB - Nitrogen (N) losses through gaseous emission of ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) can contribute to both economic loss and environmental degradation. This study examined the effect of biochar and a chemical nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), on N transformation and N losses via gaseous emission of NH3 and N2O from agricultural soils treated with a range of organic and inorganic N sources. The addition of DCD reduced N2O emission from both organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 75%, but increased ammonium (NH4+) concentration and subsequently induced high NH3 emission from the soils. In contrast, the addition of biochar reduced both N2O and NH3 emissions from organic and inorganic N sources treated soils by 23% and 43%, respectively. The effectiveness of biochar and DCD in reducing NH3 volatilization and N2O emission depends on the nature of the N sources and their initial mineral N concentration. The study demonstrated that biochar can be used to mitigate N losses resulting from NH3 volatilization and N2O emission.

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KW - Gaseous emission

KW - Nitrification inhibitors

KW - Nitrogen transformations

KW - Soil organic amendments

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The potential value of biochar in the mitigation of gaseous emission of nitrogen

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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