title: Toward the Standardization of Biochar Analysis: The COST Action TD1107 Interlaboratory Comparison.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS , Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hans Jörg
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.affiliation: Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS , Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bucheli
authors.affiliation: Technical University Berlin , Fasanenstraße 89, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dieguez-Alonso
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, CIRI EA c/o CIRSA , Via S. Alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC) , Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knicker
authors.affiliation: Ithaka Institute for Carbon Intelligence , 1974 Arbaz, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Eurofins Umwelt Ost GmbH , 09633 Halsbruecke OT Tuttendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ulbricht
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) , Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, CIRI EA c/o CIRSA , Via S. Alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buscaroli
authors.affiliation: Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS , Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buerge
authors.affiliation: UK Biochar Research Centre, University of Edinburgh , Crew Building, Room 119, The King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.affiliation: UK Biochar Research Centre, University of Edinburgh , Crew Building, Room 119, The King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University , 908 Bradfield Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Enders
authors.affiliation: CESAM & Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro , Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Valdemar I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.affiliation: Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich , Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael W H
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Evangelou
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Udine , Via delle Scienze 208, IT-33100 Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fellet
authors.affiliation: Fachhochschule Bingen , Berlinstraße 109, D-55411 Bingen am Rhein, Germany.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Producción Agraria, ETSI Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid , Calle Ramiro de Maeztu 7, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasco Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Institut für Agrar- und Ernährungswissenschaften, Bodenbiogeochemie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg , von-Seckendorff-Platz 3, D-06120 Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Zürich , Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ulrich M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Hanke
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University , 908 Bradfield Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanley
authors.affiliation: Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS , Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hilber
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Technological and Educational Institute of Crete , GR-73100 Chania, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalderis
authors.affiliation: Agroscope Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS , Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leifeld
authors.affiliation: UK Biochar Research Centre, University of Edinburgh , Crew Building, Room 119, The King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ondrej
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Masek
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering, Potsdam-Bornim , Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mumme
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC) , Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Marina Paneque
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University , Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calvelo Pereira
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Sols et Environnement , 2 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye - TSA 40602, F-54518 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, CIRI EA c/o CIRSA , Via S. Alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Rombolà
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC) , Avenida Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: José Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de la Rosa
authors.affiliation: School of Energy, Environment and Agrifood, Cranfield University , Cranfield MK43 0AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakrabani
authors.affiliation: UK Biochar Research Centre, University of Edinburgh , Crew Building, Room 119, The King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Saran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sohi
authors.affiliation: Health and Environment Department, Environmental Resources and Technologies, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH , Konrad Lorenz-Strasse 24, A-3430 Tulln, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soja
authors.affiliation: Minoprio Analisi e Certificazioni S.r.l. , Viale Raimondi 54, I-22070 Vertemate con Minoprio (Como), Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valagussa
authors.affiliation: Environment and Planning Department, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro , Campus Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verheijen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) , Peter-Jordan-Strasse 82, A-1190 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zehetner
mesh_terms: D002606:Charcoal / Q000032:analysis*; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: C540010:biochar; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: biochar analysis; biochar certification; charcoal; heavy metals; interlaboratory test; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; round-robin test