title: Agronomic and remedial benefits and risks of applying biochar to soil: Current knowledge and future research directions.
abstract: 'Biochar' represents an emerging technology that is increasingly being recognized for its potential role in carbon sequestration, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, renewable energy, soil improvement, crop productivity enhancement and environmental remediation. Published reviews have so far focused mainly on the above listed agronomic and environmental benefits of applying biochar, yet paid little or no attention to its harmful effects on the ecological system. This review highlights a balanced overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the pyrolysis process of biochar production, end-product quality and the benefits versus drawbacks of biochar on: (a) soil geochemistry and albedo, (b) microflora and fauna, (c) agrochemicals, (d) greenhouse gas efflux, (e) nutrients, (f) crop yield, and (g) contaminants (organic and inorganic). Future research should focus more on the unintended long-term consequences of biochar on biological organisms and their processes in the soil.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation (CERAR), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of Environment (CRC CARE), PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia.
authors.forename: Saranya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuppusamy
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of Environment (CRC CARE), PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia; Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Palanisami
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thavamani
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of Environment (CRC CARE), PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia; Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Electronic address: megh.mallavarapu@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Mallavarapu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Megharaj
authors.affiliation: Formerly Department of Microbiology, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur 515055, India.
authors.forename: Kadiyala
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venkateswarlu
authors.affiliation: Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of Environment (CRC CARE), PO Box 486, Salisbury South, SA 5106, Australia; Global Centre for Environmental Remediation (GCER), Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naidu
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D057965:Carbon Sequestration; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D017753:Ecosystem; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Agronomic benefits; Biochar; Environmental impacts; Pollutants; Pyrolysis; Soil amendment