The ability of engineered black carbons (or biochars) to resist abiotic and, or biotic degradation (herein referred to as recalcitrance) is crucial to their successful deployment as a soil carbon sequestration strategy. A new recalcitrance index, the R50, for assessing biochar quality for carbon sequestration is proposed. The R50 is based on the relative thermal stability of a given biochar to that of graphite and was developed and evaluated with a variety of biochars (n = 59), and soot-like black carbons. Comparison of R50, with biochar physicochemical properties and biochar-C mineralization revealed the existence of a quantifiable relationship between R50 and biochar recalcitrance. As presented here, the R50 is immediately applicable to pre-land application screening of biochars into Class A (R50 = 0.70), Class B (0.50 = R50
Revised: February 10, 2012 |
Published: January 10, 2012
Citation
Harvey O.R., L. Kuo, A.R. Zimmerman, P. Louchouarn, J.E. Amonette, and B. Herbert. 2012.An Index-Based Approach to Assessing Recalcitrance and Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential of Engineered Black Carbons (Biochars).Environmental Science & Technology 46, no. 3:1415-1421.PNNL-SA-85480.doi:10.1021/es2040398