Seaweed biochar (sourced from marine water remediation farms) for soil remediation: Towards an integrated approach of terrestrial-coastal marine water remediation

• Published in: Bioresources Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 4637 - 4656
• Main Authors: Ginocchio, Rosanna, Araya, Matías, Machado, Jéssica, Fuente, Luz María de la, Orrego, Fabiola, Arellano, Eduardo C., Contreras-Porcia, Loretto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Raleigh North Carolina State University 01.08.2023
• Subjects: Acidification; Algae; Biomass; Birds; Charcoal; Coastal waters; Composting; Copper; Degradation; Design of experiments; Experimental design; Farm buildings; Farms; Integrated approach; integrated territorial remediation; Marine pollution; Metals; Nutritional status; phytostabilization; Plant growth; pollutant remediation; Pollutants; residue valorization; Salinity; Seaweeds; Soil amendment; soil amendments; Soil chemistry; Soil degradation; Soil pH; Soil pollution; Soil remediation; Soil water; Vermicomposting; Water pollution; Worms; Chile
• ISSN: 1930-2126; 1930-2126
• DOI: 10.15376/biores.18.3.4637-4656

Biochar made from seaweed biomass of marine farms established for water pollutant remediation may be a promising amendment for soil remediation in the same coastal territory. The study aimed to assess the soil Cu-immobilizing, pH neutralizing, and nutrient improvement capabilities of a seaweed biochar when incorporated into degraded soil of the same coastal territory (Puchuncaví District, central Chile). Experimental design considered five treatments; degraded soil of Puchuncaví valley (C-), C- amended with either local seaweed biochar (B), vermicompost (V), or its mixture (BV), and a background soil (C+). Experimental soils were placed in pots and kept in a greenhouse (4 weeks). Lolium perenne was then sown and cultivated until week 11. Treatments amended with biochar (B and BV) significantly increased soil pH, available nitrogen and decreased Cu2+ ions. These treatments reached very high EC values but had no negative effect on plant yield. Regarding plant growth, V and BV significantly increased biomass, but V resulted in higher yield because of its higher nutritional status. It was concluded that seaweed biochar, made from local seaweed biomass of a coastal marine water pollutant remediation farm, may be an effective soil amendment for degraded soils of the same coastal territory, although its combination with an organic amendment should be considered.