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→How is it being used?
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolysis of organic feedstocks such as municipal, agricultural, and forestry wastes. It has a high surface area, which enhances soil aggregation, water holding capacity, and [[organic matter| organic carbon content]]. However, biochar properties and effectiveness for pollutant sorption depends on feedstock and pyrolysis conditions. <ref name=Iqbal>Iqbal H, Garcia-Perez M, Flury M. Effect of biochar on leaching of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from compost in bioretention systems. Science of the Total Environment. 2015;521-522: 37-45. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.060</ref>
Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolysis of organic feedstocks such as municipal, agricultural, and forestry wastes. It has a high surface area, which enhances soil aggregation, water holding capacity, and [[organic matter| organic carbon content]]. However, biochar properties and effectiveness for pollutant sorption depends on feedstock and pyrolysis conditions. <ref name=Iqbal>Iqbal H, Garcia-Perez M, Flury M. Effect of biochar on leaching of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from compost in bioretention systems. Science of the Total Environment. 2015;521-522: 37-45. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.060</ref>
===How is it being used?===
===How is it being used?===
Ongoing biochar research at the British Columbia Institute of Technology is testing the response of native plants to various soil/biochar mixes to be used in rain gardens, the hydraulic properties of biochar/soil mixtures in rain gardens, the comparison of biochar with different physico-chemical characteristics in chemical contaminants removal efficacy, and the potential leaching of contaminants from spent biochar after use <ref>https://commons.bcit.ca/nbs/rain-gardens-bioretention-cells/</ref>.
A bioretention system in China used biochar layered with or mixed into lateritic red soil, with some success in contaminant removal. The mixed biochar–soil design achieved the highest water retention, and both biochar-amended systems removed more contaminants (TN, NH₃-N, NO₃⁻, TP, PO₄³⁻, and Cu) than systems without biochar <ref>Premarathna, K. S. D., Biswas, J. K., Kumar, M., Varjani, S., Mickan, B., Show, P. L., Lau, S. Y., Novo, L. A. B.,
A bioretention system in China used biochar layered with or mixed into lateritic red soil, with some success in contaminant removal. The mixed biochar–soil design achieved the highest water retention, and both biochar-amended systems removed more contaminants (TN, NH₃-N, NO₃⁻, TP, PO₄³⁻, and Cu) than systems without biochar <ref>Premarathna, K. S. D., Biswas, J. K., Kumar, M., Varjani, S., Mickan, B., Show, P. L., Lau, S. Y., Novo, L. A. B.,
& Vithanage, M. 2023. Biofilters and bioretention systems: the role of biochar in the blue-green city concept for
& Vithanage, M. 2023. Biofilters and bioretention systems: the role of biochar in the blue-green city concept for
online publication. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ew00054k
online publication. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ew00054k
. https://pure.sruc.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/74040133/D3EW00054K_authors_accepted_version.pdf</ref>. In Delaware, two roadside filter strips amended with biochar reduced peak flow and runoff volume, but showed no notable change in pollutant concentrations.
. https://pure.sruc.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/74040133/D3EW00054K_authors_accepted_version.pdf</ref>. In Delaware, two roadside filter strips amended with biochar reduced peak flow and runoff volume, but showed no notable change in pollutant concentrations.
No evidence was found of biochar being used for LID projects in Ontario yet.
No evidence was found of biochar being used for LID projects in Ontario yet.
*If you have used biochar in LID design, please let us know.
*If you have used biochar in LID design, please let us know.