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Biochar and nano-biochar have emerged as multifunctional materials at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and soil remediation. Biochar, a stable carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis under limited oxygen, enhances soil fertility through its high surface area, porosity, and cation exchange capacity. Its physicochemical properties, governed by feedstock type and pyrolysis conditions, improve nutrient retention, water-holding capacity, and soil pH, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching. Historical evidence from terra preta soils underscores biochar’s long-standing role in soil enhancement. Modern applications extend to climate change mitigation by stabilizing carbon and improving agricultural productivity. Nano-biochar, produced by further processing bulk biochar to particles smaller than 100 nm using methods like ball milling, sonication, and carbonization, exhibits enhanced surface reactivity, mobility, and adsorption capacity. These properties allow nano-biochar to significantly improve plant growth, nutrient uptake, and tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought. Functionalization with metal and nonmetal nanoparticles further boosts its efficiency in contaminant immobilization and nutrient delivery. Nano-biochar-amended soils show improved cation exchange capacity, structural stability, and microbial health, with increased populations of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms. However, the high reactivity and mobility of nano-biochar raise concerns about ecological risks, including potential toxicity to soil microbes, nutrient imbalances, and groundwater contamination. Moreover, the long-term fate of nano-biochar in various soil types remains poorly understood. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the production techniques, physicochemical properties, agricultural applications, environmental benefits, and associated risks of both biochar and nano-biochar, offering critical insights into their synergistic potential for advancing agricultural sustainability and soil conservation in the face of global environmental challenges.

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Biochar and Nanotechnology for Sustainable Crop Growth and Soil Conservation

  • 动态工具书词条

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Shahram Torabian,
  • Salar Farhangi-Abriz

摘要

Biochar and nano-biochar have emerged as multifunctional materials at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and soil remediation. Biochar, a stable carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis under limited oxygen, enhances soil fertility through its high surface area, porosity, and cation exchange capacity. Its physicochemical properties, governed by feedstock type and pyrolysis conditions, improve nutrient retention, water-holding capacity, and soil pH, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching. Historical evidence from terra preta soils underscores biochar’s long-standing role in soil enhancement. Modern applications extend to climate change mitigation by stabilizing carbon and improving agricultural productivity. Nano-biochar, produced by further processing bulk biochar to particles smaller than 100 nm using methods like ball milling, sonication, and carbonization, exhibits enhanced surface reactivity, mobility, and adsorption capacity. These properties allow nano-biochar to significantly improve plant growth, nutrient uptake, and tolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought. Functionalization with metal and nonmetal nanoparticles further boosts its efficiency in contaminant immobilization and nutrient delivery. Nano-biochar-amended soils show improved cation exchange capacity, structural stability, and microbial health, with increased populations of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms. However, the high reactivity and mobility of nano-biochar raise concerns about ecological risks, including potential toxicity to soil microbes, nutrient imbalances, and groundwater contamination. Moreover, the long-term fate of nano-biochar in various soil types remains poorly understood. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the production techniques, physicochemical properties, agricultural applications, environmental benefits, and associated risks of both biochar and nano-biochar, offering critical insights into their synergistic potential for advancing agricultural sustainability and soil conservation in the face of global environmental challenges.