Mitigation Strategies for Reducing Heavy Metal Content by Application of Biochar

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination in soil is a major problem worldwide, causing harm to plants, animals, and human health. These metals come from various sources like industrial waste, mining, and improper use of chemicals in agriculture. Reducing heavy metals in soil is challenging, but biochar offers a promising and sustainable solution. Biochar is a charcoal-like material made from plant or animal waste through a process called pyrolysis, where the material is burned without much oxygen. It has unique properties, such as a high surface area and the ability to improve soil quality. Biochar can help trap heavy metals in soil, making them less harmful to plants and reducing their movement into groundwater or crops. This paper explores how biochar works to reduce heavy metals in soil. It discusses the physical, chemical, and biological ways biochar interacts with metals. Factors like the type of material used to make biochar, how it is produced, and soil properties play a big role in its effectiveness. For example, biochar can change soil pH, increase nutrient availability, and support beneficial microbes, which all help in heavy metal reduction. The paper also reviews successful cases where biochar reduced metals like lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) in contaminated soils. While biochar shows great potential, challenges such as cost, large-scale application, and variability in results need to be addressed.