Water extractable organic carbon in untreated and chemical treated biochars

Biochar, as a soil amendment, can increase concentrations of soil organic matter, especially water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC). This can affect the adsorption-desorption equilibrium between the dissolved solid phases in soil organic matter. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) represents a small proportion of soil organic matter, but is of significant importance in the soil ecosystem due to its mobility and reactivity. Here, water extracts obtained from twelve non-herbaceous biochars (before, and after, chemical treatment with either H(3)PO(4) or KOH), were tested by Liquid Chromatography - Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD) to identify the effects of both pyrolysis conditions and chemical treatments on WEOC content. LC-OCD has the capacity to provide a fingerprint of WEOC, which allows analysis of the various fractions present. WEOC content was affected by both the pyrolysis temperature and the feedstock used. High mineral ash contents deriving from the feedstock can prompt thermochemical reactions of lignocelluloses to produce a relatively high WEOC content, which includes low molecular weight neutrals and humic acids as dominant components. A significant change in WEOC occurred during pyrolysis due to secondary reactions which resulted in a much lower WEOC in the high temperature biochars where fractions of low molecular weight acids and neutrals are dominant. Chemical treatments with H(3)PO(4) or KOH increased WEOC concentration, possibly by promoting hydrolysis reactions on biochar surfaces. These observations assist in assessing the contribution of biochar additions to the soil ecosystem and demonstrate the utility of LC-OCD in providing an understanding of how biochar additions to soil can alter DOC.