Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate.
If biochar is to be used for carbon (C) management, we must understand how weathering or ageing affects biochar C mineralization. Here, we incubated aged and unaged eastern white pine wood biochar produced at 350 and 550°C with a Streptomyces isolate, a putative biochar-decomposing microbe. Ageing w...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265663 |
| _version_ | 1811336662447292416 |
|---|---|
| author | Nayela Zeba Timothy D Berry Kevin Panke-Buisse Thea Whitman |
| author_facet | Nayela Zeba Timothy D Berry Kevin Panke-Buisse Thea Whitman |
| author_sort | Nayela Zeba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | If biochar is to be used for carbon (C) management, we must understand how weathering or ageing affects biochar C mineralization. Here, we incubated aged and unaged eastern white pine wood biochar produced at 350 and 550°C with a Streptomyces isolate, a putative biochar-decomposing microbe. Ageing was accelerated via three different processes, namely, (a) physical ageing-subjecting biochar to alternating freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles, (b) chemical ageing-treating biochar with concentrated hydrogen peroxide and (c) biological ageing-incubating biochar in the presence of nutrients and microorganisms. Elemental composition and surface chemistry (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy) of biochar samples were compared before and after ageing. Biochar C mineralization between ageing treatments was significantly different in the case of 350°C biochar (p value = 0.03). Among the 350°C biochars, physical ageing resulted in the greatest increase (by 103%) in biochar C mineralization (p value = 0.05). However, in the case of 550°C biochar, ageing did not result in a significant change in biochar C mineralization (p value = 0.40). Biochar C mineralization was positively correlated with an increase in O/C ratio post-ageing (rs = 0.86, p value = 0.01). In the case of 350°C biochar, surface oxidation during ageing enhanced biochar degradation by the isolate. For 550°C biochar, however, ageing did not significantly increase biochar C mineralization, likely due to high condensed aromatic C content and lower surface oxidation during ageing. The results from our study suggest that low temperature aged biochar is more susceptible to biological degradation by soil microbes. These findings have implications for the use of biochar for long term C storage in soils. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:42:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1f0dba82984486d9193f079140f066e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:42:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1f0dba82984486d9193f079140f066e2022-12-22T02:37:08ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01174e026566310.1371/journal.pone.0265663Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate.Nayela ZebaTimothy D BerryKevin Panke-BuisseThea WhitmanIf biochar is to be used for carbon (C) management, we must understand how weathering or ageing affects biochar C mineralization. Here, we incubated aged and unaged eastern white pine wood biochar produced at 350 and 550°C with a Streptomyces isolate, a putative biochar-decomposing microbe. Ageing was accelerated via three different processes, namely, (a) physical ageing-subjecting biochar to alternating freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles, (b) chemical ageing-treating biochar with concentrated hydrogen peroxide and (c) biological ageing-incubating biochar in the presence of nutrients and microorganisms. Elemental composition and surface chemistry (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy) of biochar samples were compared before and after ageing. Biochar C mineralization between ageing treatments was significantly different in the case of 350°C biochar (p value = 0.03). Among the 350°C biochars, physical ageing resulted in the greatest increase (by 103%) in biochar C mineralization (p value = 0.05). However, in the case of 550°C biochar, ageing did not result in a significant change in biochar C mineralization (p value = 0.40). Biochar C mineralization was positively correlated with an increase in O/C ratio post-ageing (rs = 0.86, p value = 0.01). In the case of 350°C biochar, surface oxidation during ageing enhanced biochar degradation by the isolate. For 550°C biochar, however, ageing did not significantly increase biochar C mineralization, likely due to high condensed aromatic C content and lower surface oxidation during ageing. The results from our study suggest that low temperature aged biochar is more susceptible to biological degradation by soil microbes. These findings have implications for the use of biochar for long term C storage in soils.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265663 |
| spellingShingle | Nayela Zeba Timothy D Berry Kevin Panke-Buisse Thea Whitman Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate. PLoS ONE |
| title | Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate. |
| title_full | Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate. |
| title_fullStr | Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate. |
| title_short | Effects of physical, chemical, and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a Streptomyces isolate. |
| title_sort | effects of physical chemical and biological ageing on the mineralization of pine wood biochar by a streptomyces isolate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265663 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nayelazeba effectsofphysicalchemicalandbiologicalageingonthemineralizationofpinewoodbiocharbyastreptomycesisolate AT timothydberry effectsofphysicalchemicalandbiologicalageingonthemineralizationofpinewoodbiocharbyastreptomycesisolate AT kevinpankebuisse effectsofphysicalchemicalandbiologicalageingonthemineralizationofpinewoodbiocharbyastreptomycesisolate AT theawhitman effectsofphysicalchemicalandbiologicalageingonthemineralizationofpinewoodbiocharbyastreptomycesisolate |