Effect of biochar on the nutrient contents and metal recovery efficiency in sorghum planted on landfill soils
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Springer
Abstract
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The study investigated the quality and bioaccumulation of selected heavy metals in sorghum grown in
biochar‐treated landfill soils. Composite soil samples were collected from the three main landfill sites in
Lagos State, Nigeria. All soil samples were obtained at 0–15 cm soil depth, and a control site was
established at 3 m downstream of each of the site. The soil samples were air‐dried and analysed for
physico‐chemical properties and metals concentrations using standard methods in the laboratory.
Sorghum seeds were planted in five landfill soil pots, treated with wood biochar at 5 t ha−1 interval,
from 0 to 20 t ha−1, and replicated thrice for each soil in a completely randomized design approach for a
screenhouse experiment. The plants were harvested at 12 weeks after planting and later oven‐dried at
70 °C for 48 h before they were digested and analysed. The results showed that Cu and Pb
concentrations in the landfill soils exceeded standard guidelines for agricultural soils, but these reduced
with biochar application rate in the soils. Biochar applications at 10–15 t ha−1 also produced the best
growth performance and tissue nutrient in the sorghum. Assessment of the biomass efficiency indicated
greater performance in the capacity to immobilize more metals concentrations at 20 t ha−1 and was
worse at 5–10 t ha−1 biochar applica
Keywords
QH Natural history, QH301 Biology