title: Effects of biochar and activated carbon amendment on maize growth and the uptake and measured availability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs).
abstract: With the aim of investigating the effects of carbonaceous sorbent amendment on plant health and end point contaminant bioavailability, plant experiments were set up to grow maize (Zea mays) in soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals. Maize and pine derived biochars, as well as a commercial grade activated carbon, were used as amendments. Plant growth characteristics, such as chlorophyll content and shoot to root biomass, improved with sorbent amendment to varying extents and contaminant uptake to shoots was consistently reduced in amended soils. By further defining the conditions in which sorbent amended soils successfully reduce contaminant bioavailability and improve plant growth, this work will inform field scale remediation efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. Electronic address: aoife.brennan@strath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Agrícola, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moreno Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Área de Ecología, Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alburquerque
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Switzer
mesh_terms: D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Bioavailability; Biochar; PAHs; POM; PTEs