Biochar mitigates effects of pesticides on soil biological activities

Several benefits of biochar on soil biological and chemical properties are known and demonstrated. Moreover, biochar application has also been discussed as an effective means to remediate soil polluted with toxic compounds as it has the capacity to adsorb the pollutants, especially the organic ones. Pesticides are commonly used in conventional agriculture as plant protection agents but are known to cause environmental hazards with diverse impacts including on the human health. Biochar amendments of soil may stabilize pesticides through sorption and thus reduce their bioavailability, bioaccumulation, biomagnification and ecotoxicity. Some reports found evidence for an increased microbial activity and diversity (after biochar amendment), which play an important role in the biodegradation of pesticides. An understanding of the effect of biochar on the bioavailability of pesticide residues in soil and biochar-microbe-pesticide interactions are necessary to explore the potential of biochar in pesticide-contaminated soils. Here we review the impact of biochar application on soil properties, microbial communities and pesticides, also highlighting future directions of research for biochar as a soil amendment for remediation of contaminated soils.