Effect of cassava waste biochar on sorption and release behavior of atrazine in soil

Biochar, can be used as a sorbent material to sequester organic contaminants in soils. In this study, the sorption-desorption behavior of atrazine (AT) was studied in latosol (L) supplemented with varying doses of cassava waste biochar (CW). Changes in the release of AT were assessed with varying aging time (0-60 days) and environmental factors (pH, ionic strength, solid-liquid ratio and disturbance intensity). Results indicate that the addition of 0.1%-5% (w/w) CW in L, promoted AT adsorption by 1.7- to 36-fold as compared with the natural soil control, after 60 days. The release of AT from biochar-amended soil was significantly affected by pH ranged from 3 to 9 and the amount of desorbed AT increased with increasing pH conditions. 0.05 mol/L Ca²⁺ enhanced AT sorption by biochar. The release of AT increased with increasing solid-liquid ratio (at the ratio of 1:10, 1:15, 1:20) and disturbance intensity, surface complexation and cation exchange were found to play important roles in sorption mechanisms.