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Biochar as a Climate-Smart Approach for Soil Health Improvement and Nano-/Microplastic Mitigation in Sustainable Agriculture: A Review
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Tiny plastic particles are building up in farm soils, potentially getting absorbed by crops we eat—but this review of existing research suggests that biochar (a charcoal-like material made from organic waste) can act like a sponge to trap these plastics in soil before they reach our food. It also improves soil quality and helps fight climate change, though scientists still need more research to understand its limits, especially in certain soil types.
The increasing accumulation of nano-/microplastics (NMPs) in agricultural soils has become an emerging environmental concern, posing risks to soil health, crop productivity, and food safety. Due to their persistence and small size, NMPs can disrupt soil structure, alter microbial communities, and facilitate the transport and uptake of contaminants by plants. In this context, biochar has attracted significant attention as a climate-smart soil amendment capable of improving soil quality while mitigating emerging pollutants. This review explores the potential role of biochar, including modified biochar, as a sustainable strategy for enhancing soil health and reducing the risks associated with NMPs contamination in agricultural systems. The unique physicochemical properties of biochar—such as its high surface area, porous structure, and abundant functional groups—enable interactions with plastic particles and associated contaminants through adsorption, aggregation, and immobilization processes. These interactions can reduce mobility, bioavailability, and plant uptake of NMPs in soil. In addition, biochar contributes to soil fertility improvement by enhancing nutrient retention, increasing water holding capacity, improving soil structure, and stimulating beneficial microbial activity. Biochar application also plays an important role in climate change mitigation by stabilizing carbon in soils and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems. Although biochar is considered a promising material for sustainability, some types of biochar may have adverse effects in saline–alkaline soils due to their high pH and salinity, particularly when produced at high pyrolysis temperatures. Overall, integrating biochar or modified biochar into sustainable agricultural practices offers multiple co-benefits, including soil restoration, pollutant mitigation, improved soil health, and enhanced climate resilience. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the mechanisms by which biochar influences NMPs behavior in soil–plant systems and highlights current knowledge gaps and future research directions needed to support its effective application in sustainable agriculture.
More Papers Like This
Biochar as a Climate-Smart Approach for Soil Health Improvement and Nano-/Microplastics Mitigation in Sustainable Agriculture: A Review
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles are building up in farm soils, potentially working their way into the crops we eat—but this review of existing research shows that biochar (a charcoal-like material made from plant waste) can trap these plastics in the soil, keeping them from moving into food crops. Biochar also boosts soil health by helping it retain water and nutrients, meaning healthier farmland could mean safer, more plastic-free food on our plates. That said, this is a summary of past studies rather than new experiments, and biochar isn't a perfect fix—it can backfire in certain salty, high-pH soils.
Advances and prospects of biochar in improving soil fertility, biochemical quality, and environmental applications
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This review examines how biochar, a charcoal-like material made from organic waste, can improve soil health and clean up pollutants including microplastics. Biochar's ability to absorb and trap contaminants makes it a promising tool for reducing microplastic pollution in agricultural soil. The findings suggest biochar could help limit the amount of microplastics that enter the food chain through crops grown in contaminated soil.
Biochar and Organic Matter as Tools for Mitigating Microplastic Effects in Agricultural Soils.
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Plastic pollution in farm soil is a growing problem, but this study found that adding biochar (charcoal made from plant waste) or organic materials like compost and manure can help soils recover. These additions restored nutrients, improved soil structure, and boosted helpful microbes, offering a practical way to protect the soil that grows our food.
Biochar for a Plastic Planet: Unveiling Its Potential to Transform Microplastic-Contaminated Soils
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This review summarizes lab studies on biochar, a material made by heating plant or waste matter, as a soil additive for trapping microplastics and reducing their harmful effects on soil. Results varied depending on the biochar type and soil conditions, and researchers note that field testing and standardized measurement methods are still lacking.
Biochar as an Environment-Friendly Alternative for Multiple Applications
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This review summarizes how biochar, a charcoal-like material made from plant waste, can be used for carbon storage, improving soil health, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Notably, biochar shows potential for reducing microplastic and heavy metal contamination in soil by binding these pollutants and preventing them from being absorbed by crops. This makes biochar a promising tool for protecting food safety in agricultural soils contaminated with microplastics.
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