[Terrapreta] Charcoal and Atrazine.

[Tom Miles]

Brian,

 

I've asked our family environmental engineer about this (every family should
have one) and looked only briefly at some references on degradation of
atrazine and remediation. This led to the following excerpt from the ITRC -
Phytoremediation Decision Tree, November 1999, Table 1: Types of
Phytoremediation for Organic Constituents

 

Type of remediation:

Rhizodegradation, phytostimulation, rhizosphere bioremediation, or
plant-assisted bioremediation

 

Process Involved:

Plant exudates, root necrosis, and other processes provide organic carbon
and nutrients to spur soil bacteria growth by two or more orders of
magnitude. Exudates stimulate degradation by mycorrhizal fungi and microbes.
Live roots can pump oxygen to aerobes and dead roots may support anaerobes.

 

Contaminant Treated:

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, BTEX, and other petroleum hydrocarbons,
perchlorate, atrazine, alachlor, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and other
organic compounds

 

To the degree that biochar stimulates microbial growth it should enhance
breakdown of atrazine. I would think that would depend on the relative
microbial populations in contact with the atrazine. A recent study shows
that enhanced microbial activity can reduce the herbicidal effect of
atrazine.

Larry Kurtz et. al. Enhanced Degradation of Atrazine under Field Conditions
Correlates with a Loss of Weed Control in the Glasshouse, Pest Management
Science January 2007 

 
<http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=1
92580>
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=19
2580

 

Experience with biochar and atrazine should be very interesting.

 

Tom Miles 

 

 

 

 

From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Brian Hans
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 5:25 PM
To: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
Subject: [Terrapreta] Charcoal and Atrazine.

 

Hello All,

 

Can anyone expand on the charcoal/atrazine connection.

 

It would seem to me that by applying bio-char into the soil, this would bind
up any atrazine placed in the field. And this action would last for the life
of the activated charcoal's ability to remain activated, which may be a very
long time as Terra Preta de Indigo has shown. 

 

Has anyone used atrazine on grain fields after bio-char? Has anyone done any
field trials on herbicides other than atrazine? If not, there should be. 

 

Brian Hans

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