2017, Verheijen, Frank G. A., Mankasingh, Utra, Penizek, Vit, Panzacchi, Pietro, Glaser, Bruno, Jeffery, Simon, Bastos, Ana Catarina, Tammeorg, Priit, Kern, Jürgen, Zavalloni, Costanza, Zanchettin, Giulia, Sakrabani, Ruben

A representativeness survey of existing European Biochar field experiments within the Biochar COST Action TD1107 was conducted to gather key information for setting up future experiments and collaborations, and to minimise duplication of efforts amongst European researchers. Woody feedstock biochar, applied without organic or inorganic fertiliser appears over-represented compared to other categories, especially considering the availability of crop residues, manures, and other organic waste streams and the efforts towards achieving a zero waste economy. Fertile arable soils were also over-represented while shallow unfertile soils were under-represented. Many of the latter are likely in agroforestry or forest plantation land use. The most studied theme was crop production. However, other themes that can provide evidence of mechanisms, as well as potential undesired side-effects, were relatively well represented. Biochar use for soil contamination remediation was the least represented theme; further work is needed to identify which specific contaminants, or mixtures of contaminants, have the potential for remediation by different biochars. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by VGTU Press and Informa UK Limited, [trading as Taylor & Francis Group].

2016, Bachmann, Hans Jörg, Bucheli, Thomas D., Dieguez-Alonso, Alba, Fabbri, Daniele, Knicker, Heike, Schmidt, Hans-Peter, Ulbricht, Axel, Becker, Roland, Buscaroli, Alessandro, Buerge, Diane, Cross, Andrew, Dickinson, Dane, Enders, Akio, Esteves, Valdemar I., Evangelou, Michael W.H., Fellet, Guido, Friedrich, Kevin, Gasco Guerrero, Gabriel, Glaser, Bruno, Hanke, Ulrich M., Hanley, Kelly, Hilber, Isabel, Kalderis, Dimitrios, Leifeld, Jens, Masek, Ondrej, Mumme, Jan, Paneque Carmona, Marina, Calvelo Pereira, Roberto, Rees, Frederic, Rombolà, Alessandro G., de la Rosa, José Maria, Sakrabani, Ruben, Sohi, Saran, Soja, Gerhard, Valagussa, Massimo, Verheijen, Frank, Zehetner, Franz

Biochar produced by pyrolysis of organic residues is increasingly used for soil amendment and many other applications. However, analytical methods for its physical and chemical characterization are yet far from being specifically adapted, optimized, and standardized. Therefore, COST Action TD1107 conducted an interlaboratory comparison in which 22 laboratories from 12 countries analyzed three different types of biochar for 38 physical–chemical parameters (macro- and microelements, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pH, electrical conductivity, and specific surface area) with their preferential methods. The data were evaluated in detail using professional interlaboratory testing software. Whereas intralaboratory repeatability was generally good or at least acceptable, interlaboratory reproducibility was mostly not (20% < mean reproducibility standard deviation < 460%). This paper contributes to better comparability of biochar data published already and provides recommendations to improve and harmonize specific methods for biochar analysis in the future.

2017, Kern, Jürgen, Tammeorg, Priit, Shanskiy, Merrit, Sakrabani, Ruben, Knicker, Heike, Kammann, Claudia, Tuhkanen, Eeva-Maria, Smidt, Geerd, Prasad, Munoo, Tiilikkala, Kari, Sohi, Saran, Gascó, Gabriel, Steiner, Christoph, Glaser, Bruno

Peat is used as a high quality substrate for growing media in horticulture. However, unsustainable peat extraction damages peatland ecosystems, which disappeared to a large extent in Central and South Europe. Furthermore, disturbed peatlands are becoming a source of greenhouse gases due to drainage and excavation. This study is the result of a workshop within the EU COST Action TD1107 (Biochar as option for sustainable resource management), held in Tartu (Estonia) in 2015. The view of stakeholders were consulted on new biochar-based growing media and to what extent peat may be replaced in growing media by new compounds like carbonaceous materials from thermochemical conversion. First positive results from laboratory and greenhouse experiments have been reported with biochar content in growing media ranging up to 50%. Various companies have already started to use biochar as an additive in their growing media formulations. Biochar might play a more important role in replacing peat in growing media, when biochar is available, meets the quality requirements, and their use is economically feasible. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by VGTU Press and Informa UK Limited, [trading as Taylor & Francis Group].

2017, Sakrabani, Ruben, Kern, Jürgen, Mankasingh, Utra, Zavalloni, Costanza, Zanchettin, Giulia, Bastos, Ana Catarina, Tammeorg, Priit, Jeffery, Simon, Glaser, Bruno, Verheijen, Frank G. A.

Biochar research is extensive and there are many pot and laboratory studies carried out in Europe to investigate the mechanistic understanding that govern its impact on soil processes. A survey was conducted in order to find out how representative these studies under controlled experimental conditions are of actual environmental conditions in Europe and biomass availability and conversion technologies. The survey consisted of various key questions related to types of soil and biochar used, experimental conditions and effects of biochar additions on soil chemical, biological and physical properties. This representativeness study showed that soil texture and soil organic carbon contents used by researchers are well reflected in the current biochar research in Europe (through comparison with published literature), but less so for soil pH and soil type. This study provides scope for future work to complement existing research findings, avoiding unnecessary repetitions and highlighting existing research gaps. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by VGTU Press and Informa UK Limited, [trading as Taylor & Francis Group].