Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites
Published on: November 28, 2014
The molecular properties of biochar carbon released in dilute acidic solution and its effects on maize seed
Jingling Sun1, Marios Drosos2, Pierluigi Mazzei2
1Institute of Resource, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Center of Agricultural and Climate Change, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, PR China; Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca sulla Risonanza Magnetica Nucleare per l'Ambiente, l'Agroalimentare ed i Nuovi Materiali (CERMANU), Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy.
Abstract:
It is not yet clear whether the carbon released from biochar in the soil solution stimulates biological activities. Soluble fractions (AQU) from wheat and maize biochars, whose molecular content was thoroughly characterized by FTIR, 13C and 1H NMR, and high-resolution ESI-IT-TOF-MS, were separated in dilute acidic solution to simulate soil rhizospheric conditions and their effects evaluated on maize seeds germination activity. Elongation of maize-seeds coleoptile was significantly promoted by maize biochar AQU, whereas it was inhibited by wheat biochar AQU. Both AQU fractions contained relatively small heterocyclic nitrogen compounds, whose structures were accounted by their spectroscopic properties. Point-of-Zero-Charge (PZC) values and van Krevelen plots of identified masses of soluble components suggested that the dissolved carbon from maize biochar behaved as humic-like supramolecular material capable to adhere to seedlings and deliver bioactive molecules. These findings contribute to understand the biostimulation potential of biochars from crop biomasses when applied in agricultural production.
