Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil

Biochar is considered a promising soil amendment, but an effective method to detect and characterize the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of biochar in soil is still missing. The aim of this study is to investigate the ability of the spectral induced polarization (SIP) method for the nonin...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Z. Gao, F.-H. Haegel, O. Esser, E. Zimmermann, H. Vereecken, J.A. Huisman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-08-01
Series:Vadose Zone Journal
Online Access:https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/vzj/articles/18/1/180213
_version_ 1818146118579519488
author Z. Gao
F.-H. Haegel
O. Esser
E. Zimmermann
H. Vereecken
J.A. Huisman
author_facet Z. Gao
F.-H. Haegel
O. Esser
E. Zimmermann
H. Vereecken
J.A. Huisman
author_sort Z. Gao
collection DOAJ
description Biochar is considered a promising soil amendment, but an effective method to detect and characterize the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of biochar in soil is still missing. The aim of this study is to investigate the ability of the spectral induced polarization (SIP) method for the noninvasive detection of biochar in unsaturated sandy media. In particular, a pure sand and two sand–biochar mixtures with 1 and 2% biochar made from pine ( spp.) wood by pyrolysis at 800°C were investigated. The measured SIP spectra as a function of saturation were interpreted by fitting a Cole–Cole model to the low-frequency part of the SIP measurements. The porous nature of the biochar particles strongly affected the SIP response of the partially saturated sand–biochar mixtures. Due to the high residual water content of the biochar in a dry background, the relationship between bulk electrical conductivity and water saturation was nonlinear in a log–log representation. This nonlinear behavior could adequately be explained with a dielectric mixing model that considered the drainage of the biochar particles. Both the measured phase and chargeability of the sand–biochar mixtures showed a complex dependence on water saturation. This was attributed to the decrease in polarization strength of the biochar particles with desaturation and the simultaneous increase in phase of the sand background. Overall, the results of this study suggest that field SIP measurements may be a promising tool for the characterization and monitoring of biochar amendments to agricultural soils.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T12:14:16Z
format Article
id doaj.art-93989d0356644d18a3ac4578d850c045
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1539-1663
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-11T12:14:16Z
publishDate 2019-08-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Vadose Zone Journal
spelling doaj.art-93989d0356644d18a3ac4578d850c0452022-12-22T01:07:43ZengWileyVadose Zone Journal1539-16632019-08-0118110.2136/vzj2018.12.0213Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated SoilZ. GaoF.-H. HaegelO. EsserE. ZimmermannH. VereeckenJ.A. HuismanBiochar is considered a promising soil amendment, but an effective method to detect and characterize the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of biochar in soil is still missing. The aim of this study is to investigate the ability of the spectral induced polarization (SIP) method for the noninvasive detection of biochar in unsaturated sandy media. In particular, a pure sand and two sand–biochar mixtures with 1 and 2% biochar made from pine ( spp.) wood by pyrolysis at 800°C were investigated. The measured SIP spectra as a function of saturation were interpreted by fitting a Cole–Cole model to the low-frequency part of the SIP measurements. The porous nature of the biochar particles strongly affected the SIP response of the partially saturated sand–biochar mixtures. Due to the high residual water content of the biochar in a dry background, the relationship between bulk electrical conductivity and water saturation was nonlinear in a log–log representation. This nonlinear behavior could adequately be explained with a dielectric mixing model that considered the drainage of the biochar particles. Both the measured phase and chargeability of the sand–biochar mixtures showed a complex dependence on water saturation. This was attributed to the decrease in polarization strength of the biochar particles with desaturation and the simultaneous increase in phase of the sand background. Overall, the results of this study suggest that field SIP measurements may be a promising tool for the characterization and monitoring of biochar amendments to agricultural soils.https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/vzj/articles/18/1/180213
spellingShingle Z. Gao
F.-H. Haegel
O. Esser
E. Zimmermann
H. Vereecken
J.A. Huisman
Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil
Vadose Zone Journal
title Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil
title_full Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil
title_fullStr Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil
title_full_unstemmed Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil
title_short Spectral Induced Polarization of Biochar in Variably Saturated Soil
title_sort spectral induced polarization of biochar in variably saturated soil
url https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/vzj/articles/18/1/180213
work_keys_str_mv AT zgao spectralinducedpolarizationofbiocharinvariablysaturatedsoil
AT fhhaegel spectralinducedpolarizationofbiocharinvariablysaturatedsoil
AT oesser spectralinducedpolarizationofbiocharinvariablysaturatedsoil
AT ezimmermann spectralinducedpolarizationofbiocharinvariablysaturatedsoil
AT hvereecken spectralinducedpolarizationofbiocharinvariablysaturatedsoil
AT jahuisman spectralinducedpolarizationofbiocharinvariablysaturatedsoil