Differential release of sewage sludge biochar-borne elements by common low-molecular-weight organic acids

Biochar materials originated from sewage sludge may contain elevated levels of potentially toxic elements. There was a lack of information on the mobility of biochar-borne elements, as driven by low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) contained in plant root exudates. A batch experiment was conducted to examine the effects of three common LMWOAs on the release of major elements and trace elements with a focus on various potentially toxic trace elements. The results showed that substantial amounts of Al, Mn, Fe, K, Na and Mg were extracted from two sewage sludge-derived biochar materials by the LMWOAs. A much higher release rate of potentially toxic trace elements was observed in the presence of LMWOAs, as compared to reported data using extractants not encountered in root exudates. The LMWOA-driven releasibility of various potentially toxic trace elements was in the following decreasing order: Zn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cr > Co = Cd. Other trace elements that are subject to mobilization in the presence of LMWOAs included B, Ba, In, Li and Sr except Ba under oxalic acid extraction. Among the three LMWOAs, oxalic acid showed a generally stronger capacity to mobilize these metals. The findings obtained from this study provides new information that can be used for better evaluating the phyto-availability of trace elements bound to sewage sludge-originated biochar materials.