title: Physical and chemical properties of biochars co-composted with biowastes and incubated with a chicken litter compost.
abstract: Two experiments were conducted where three biochars, made from macadamia nutshell (MS), hardwood shaving (WS) and chicken litter (CL), were co-composted with chicken manure and sawdust, and also incubated with a chicken litter based commercial compost. Biochars were added at the rates of 5% and 10% in the co-composting and 10% and 20% in the incubation experiment. The rates of biochar had no consistent effect on the change in element contents of composted- or incubated-biochars. The biochar C demonstrated recalcitrance in both composting and incubation systems. Composting increased the CEC of biochars probably due to thermophilic oxidation. The increases in CEC of WS and CL were 6.5 and 2.2 times, respectively, for composting. Translocation of elements, between biochar and compost medium, occurred in both directions. In most cases, biochars gained elements under the influence of positive difference of concentrations (i.e., when compost medium had higher concentration of elements than biochar), while in some cases they lost elements despite a positive difference. Biochar lost some elements (WS: B; CL: B, Mg and S) under the influence of negative difference of concentrations. Some biochars showed strong affinity for B, C, N and S: the concentration of these elements gained by biochars surpassed the concentration in the respective composting medium. The material difference in the biochars did not have influence on N retention: all three netbag-biochars increased their N content. The cost of production of biochar-compost will be lower in co-composting than incubation, which involves two separate processes, i.e., composting and subsequent incubation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), Building X, University Blvd., University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contaminants Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Building X, University Blvd., University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Building P, Materials Lane, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia. Electronic address: naser.khan@mymail.unisa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Building P, Materials Lane, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS-CSIC), Department of Soil Conservation and Waste Management, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Monedero
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Natural Resource Management Consultants Pty Ltd, 59 Solomon St., Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia.
authors.forename: Syd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.affiliation: Scientific and Technological Bio-recourse Nucleus, BIOREN-UFRO, Universidad de la Frontera, P.O. 54-D, Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), Building X, University Blvd., University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contaminants Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Building X, University Blvd., University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Fangjie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, Land and Water Flagship, PMB 2, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia.
authors.forename: Rai S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kookana
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), Building X, University Blvd., University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contaminants Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), Building X, University Blvd., University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Global Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Nanthi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bolan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D002645:Chickens; D008372:Manure / Q000032:analysis*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014866:Waste Products; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D008372:Manure; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012987:Soil; D014866:Waste Products; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Biochar; Carbon; Compost; Nutrient; Sorption; Trace element