Review of Scientific Advances and Importance of Biochar for Agricultural and Industrial Uses
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Date
2024-12-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Bioresource Science
Abstract
Biochar has been known as an effective soil amendment with capabilities of boosting soil moisture
storage, increasing soil fertility, and enhancing crop productivity. Biochar also has the potential for
industrial use for wastewater treatment, water purification, steel making, building insulation, and air
pollution control. The current metadata analysis evaluated the importance of biochar for agricultural and
industrial uses and its relevance for use in Kenya. A total of 120 reference materials comprising journal
papers, conference proceedings, and book chapters were used. Numerous studies conducted across the
globe have documented the positive effects of biochar in increasing available soil nutrients (increased
by 28.6% and phosphorus by 2 folds), lowering bulk density by 3-31%, enhancing soil moisture storage
by 18-108%, and boosting microbial activities in the soil thus enhancing nutrient cycling. The metadata
analysis also showed that biochar can reduce CO2
emissions by up to 33% thereby mitigating climate
change. Biochar equally increased maize yield by 32-135% and rice yield by 8.5-10.7%. The review also
showed that biochar can play a crucial role in different industrial uses such as wastewater treatment,
steel making, and water purification. Some of the main impediments to the adoption of biochar were;
the lack of a regulatory framework to govern the sector and the lack of a decision support system for
use by end users.
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Citation
Mwadalu, R., Ndufa, J., Maitra, S., Gweyi-Onyango, J., & Gitari, H. (2024). Review of Scientific Advances and Importance of Biochar for Agricultural and Industrial Uses.