Biochar for environmental management: an introduction

Biochar is the product of heating biomass in the absence of or with limited air to above 250oC, a process called charring or pyrolysis also used for making charcoal (Chapter 3). The material distinguishes itself from charcoal or other carbon (C) products in that it is intended for use as a soil application or broader for environmental management. In some instances, the material properties of biochar may overlap with those of charcoal as an energy carrier, but many types of biochar do not easily burn and charcoals are typically not made to address soil issues (Nomenclature in Box 1.1). An important defi ning feature of biochars, similar to charcoal, is a certain level of organic C forms, called…