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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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Assessment of Waste-Derived Biochars on the Health and Biological Activity of Soil
Published on: October 10, 2025
Micron-engineered biochar mitigates antimony and microplastics toxicity by reshaping soil microbiome and plant
Muhammad Umair Hassan1, Waqar Ahmed2, Lorenzo Barbanti3
1School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Biological Invasion and Biosecurity, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi 343009, China; Research Center on Ecological Sciences, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China.
Journal of Hazardous Materials
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Micron-engineered biochar (MBC) effectively remediates soils co-contaminated with antimony (Sb) and microplastics (MPs). MBC improves rice plant health, nutrient uptake, and grain yield while reducing Sb and MP toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Plant Science
Background:
- Antimony (Sb) and microplastics (MPs) pose significant threats to plant and human health.
- The combined effects of Sb and MPs on soil and plant traits are not well understood.
- Soil contamination by heavy metals and microplastics is a growing global concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of micron-engineered biochar (MBC) in mitigating combined Sb and MPs soil contamination.
- To assess the impact of MBC on plant physiological traits, nutrient content, and grain yield in rice.
- To explore the underlying mechanisms of MBC's remediation effects on soil microbial communities and plant gene expression.
Main Methods:
- A pot experiment was conducted with five treatments: control, Sb+MPs, and Sb+MPs with varying MBC concentrations (1%, 1.5%, 2%).
- Evaluated plant physiological parameters (water status, osmolytes, antioxidant activity), soil properties (Sb content, nutrients), and rice grain yield.
- Utilized microbial community analysis (gene abundance) and plant transcriptomic analysis (gene expression) to elucidate remediation mechanisms.
Main Results:
- MBC significantly counteracted the negative impacts of Sb+MPs on plant water status, osmolytes, and antioxidant activities.
- MBC application reduced soil Sb content and plant uptake by 31%, enhanced soil nutrient content and plant uptake by 72%, and increased grain yield by 57%.
- MBC promoted the abundance of beneficial soil bacteria (Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteriodota, Proteobacteria) and antimony-degrading genes, while transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of key metabolic and signaling pathways in plants.
Conclusions:
- Micron-engineered biochar (MBC) is a highly effective agent for remediating soils co-contaminated with antimony and microplastics.
- MBC enhances rice plant growth, nutrient assimilation, and yield by improving soil health and mitigating contaminant toxicity.
- MBC offers a promising, multidimensional solution for sustainable agriculture in contaminated environments.
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