Biochar affects the fate of phosphorus in soil and water: A critical review

Biochar is a promising novel material for managing phosphorus (P), a nutrient often limiting for primary production but can also be a pollutant, in the environment. Reducing P input to the environment and finding cost-effective approaches to remediate P contamination are major challenges in P management. There is currently no review that systematically summarizes biochar effects on soil P availability and its P removal potential from water systems. In this paper, we comprehensively reviewed biochar effects on soil P availability and P removal from water systems and discussed the mechanisms involved. Biochar affects soil P cycling by altering P chemical forms, changing soil P sorption and desorption capacities, and influencing microbial population size, enzyme activities, mycorrhizal associations and microbial production of metal-chelating organic acids. The porous structure, high specific surface area, and metal oxide and surface functional groups make biochars effective materials for removing P from eutrophic water via ligand exchange, cation bridge, and P precipitation. Because soil and biochar properties are widely variable, the effect of biochar on the fate of P in soil and water systems is inconsistent among different studies. Knowledge gaps in the economic practicability of large-scale biochar application, the longevity of biochar benefits, and the potential ecological risks of biochar application should be addressed in future research.