Biochar has vital importance as soil additives due to its characteristics, which are responsible for alleviating environmental problems and climate change. These additives should be evaluated to understand their physico-chemical properties and their ecotoxicological effects on plant growth. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) distinguish the properties of biochar produced from date palm and its derivative hydrochar, and (ii) investigate their ecotoxicological effects. Specifically, the biochar and hydrochar were produced from date palm leaflets by pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization, respectively. The produced chars were evaluated for their characteristics before and after water washing, and for their ecotoxicological effects on seed germination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L). The results show that water washing lowered biochar's pH and increased hydrochar's pH. Moreover, water washing of hydrochar caused a significant reduction in the total content of essential elements such as Ca, Mg, Mn, and Zn. Lettuce germination was significantly inhibited to 20% by hydrochar, whereas biochar enhanced lettuce growth by increasing shoot length (by 51%) and dry biomass (by 114%). Hydrochar toxicity was correlated (R > 0.95 at p = 0.05) with high contents of total polyaromatic hydrocarbons (98.8 mg kg(-1)). Pre-treatment and assessment of hydrochar should be taken into account prior to application as a soil amendment. (C) 2018 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.
1.King Saud Univ, Coll Food & Agr Sci, Soil Sci Dept, POB 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia 2.Quaid I Azam Univ, Fac Biol Sci, Dept Environm Sci, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan 3.Assiut Univ, Fac Agr, Dept Soils & Water, Assiut 71526, Egypt
Recommended Citation:
Al-Wabel, Mohammad I.,Rafique, Muhammad Imran,Ahmad, Mahtab,et al. Pyrolytic and hydrothermal carbonization of date palm leaflets: Characteristics and ecotoxicological effects on seed germination of lettuce[J]. SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES,2019-01-01,26(4):665-672