title: Modest amendment of sewage sludge biochar to reduce the accumulation of cadmium into rice(Oryza sativa L.): A field study.
abstract: Much research has considered the influence of biochars on the availability and phytoaccumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from soil. However, the vast majority of these studies use, what are arguably, unrealistic and unpractical amounts of biochar (10, 50 and even up to 100 t/ha). To offer a more realistic insight into the influence of biochar on PTE partitioning and phytoaccumulation, a field study, using modest rates of biochar application (1.5, 3.0 t/ha), was undertaken. Specifically, the research investigated the influence of sewage sludge biochar (SSBC) on the accumulation of Cd into rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in Cd contaminated (0.82 ± 0.07 mg/kg) paddy soil. Results indicated, Cd concentrations in rice grains to significantly (p < 0.05) decrease from 1.35 ± 0.09 mg/kg in the control to 0.82 ± 0.07 mg/kg and 0.80 ± 0.21 mg/kg in the 1.5 t/ha and 3.0 t/ha treatments, respectively. Accordingly, the hazardous quotient (HQ) indices for Cd, associated with rice grain consumption, were also reduced by ∼40%. SSBC amendment significantly (p < 0.05) increased grain yields from 1.90 ± 0.08 g/plant in the control to 2.17 ± 0.30 g/plant and 3.40 ± 0.27 g/plant in the 1.5 t/ha and 3.0 t/ha treatments, respectively. Thus, the amendment of SSBC to contaminated paddy soils, even at low application rates, could be an effective approach to mitigate Cd accumulation into rice plants, to improve rice grain yields, and to thereby improve food security and protect public health.
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China.
authors.forename: Youchi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
authors.forename: Yongkai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
authors.forename: Yanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China. Electronic address: ccai@iue.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D012275:Oryza / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C540010:biochar; D002104:Cadmium; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Cadmium; Field; Paddy soil; Rice (Oryza sativa L.); Sewage sludge biochar