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Peer-reviewedCC BYBiochar

Weathering of biochar: implications to soil health, carbon sequestration and soil remediation

  • Nanthi Bolan1,2,3
  • Santanu Mukherjee4
  • Shiv Bolan1,2,3
  • Shailja Sharma5
  • Kurt Arnold Spokas6
  • José Lucas Martins Melo7
  • Joshua T. Padilla8
  • David Houben9
  • Murilo Gomes Veloso10
  • Arthur Groß11
  • Sreeni Chadalavada12
  • Kadambot H. M. Siddique2
12 affiliations
  1. 1Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) National Research Network, Canberra, Australia
  2. 2The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
  3. 3UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
  4. 4School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229, India
  5. 5School of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229, India
  6. 6United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, 439 Borlaug Hall, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
  7. 7Federal University of Ceará, 2977 Av. Mister Hull, Campus do Pici, Fortaleze, Ceará, 60356-001, Brazil
  8. 8Coastal Plains Soil, Water and Plant Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Florence, SC, USA
  9. 9UniLaSalle, AGHYLE UP 2018.C101, 60000, Beauvais, France
  10. 10UniLaSalle, SFR NORVEGE FED 4277, AGHYLE Rouen UP 2018.C101, 76130, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
  11. 11Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Von-Seckendorff-Platz, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
  12. 12School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Sprinfield, QLD, 4350, Australia
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Abstract

There has been increasing interest in the application of biochar as a soil amendment to sequester carbon and remediate contamination. The novelty of this review is that it provides thorough bibliometric analysis and critical discussions on various processes of biochar weathering, factors affecting the weathering processes, and the implication of biochar weathering on its potential value for carbon sequestration and soil remediation in relation to promoting soil health. Although biochar contains stabilized carbon, when exposed in the field, biochar undergoes physical, chemical, and biological weathering processes, which could lead to fragmentation of biochar, impacting its nature, characteristics, and reactivity. The weathering of biochar in soil is impacted by the nature of biochar, soil type, cultivation practices, and environmental conditions. This review will advance the existing knowledge on how weathering-initiated changes in biochar alter the interactions between biochar and soil components significantly, including microorganisms. Therefore, this article will provide core perspectives on how these events impact carbon sequestration, contaminant remobilization, soil health, and soil remediation potentials of biochar.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{bolan2026weathering,
  title = {{Weathering of biochar: implications to soil health, carbon sequestration and soil remediation}},
  author = {Nanthi Bolan and Santanu Mukherjee and Shiv Bolan and Shailja Sharma and Kurt Arnold Spokas and José Lucas Martins Melo and Joshua T. Padilla and David Houben and Murilo Gomes Veloso and Arthur Groß and Sreeni Chadalavada and Kadambot H. M. Siddique},
  journal = {Biochar},
  year = {2026},
  month = may,
  doi = {10.1007/s42773-026-00615-x},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-026-00615-x},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Weathering of biochar: implications to soil health, carbon sequestration and soil remediation
AU  - Nanthi Bolan
AU  - Santanu Mukherjee
AU  - Shiv Bolan
AU  - Shailja Sharma
AU  - Kurt Arnold Spokas
AU  - José Lucas Martins Melo
AU  - Joshua T. Padilla
AU  - David Houben
AU  - Murilo Gomes Veloso
AU  - Arthur Groß
AU  - Sreeni Chadalavada
AU  - Kadambot H. M. Siddique
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/25
JO  - Biochar
DO  - 10.1007/s42773-026-00615-x
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-026-00615-x
AB  - There has been increasing interest in the application of biochar as a soil amendment to sequester carbon and remediate contamination. The novelty of this review is that it provides thorough bibliometric analysis and critical discussions on various processes of biochar weathering, factors affecting the weathering processes, and the implication of biochar weathering on its potential value for carbon sequestration and soil remediation in relation to promoting soil health. Although biochar contains stabilized carbon, when exposed in the field, biochar undergoes physical, chemical, and biological weathering processes, which could lead to fragmentation of biochar, impacting its nature, characteristics, and reactivity. The weathering of biochar in soil is impacted by the nature of biochar, soil type, cultivation practices, and environmental conditions. This review will advance the existing knowledge on how weathering-initiated changes in biochar alter the interactions between biochar and soil components significantly, including microorganisms. Therefore, this article will provide core perspectives on how these events impact carbon sequestration, contaminant remobilization, soil health, and soil remediation potentials of biochar.
SN  - 2524-7867
SN  - 2524-7972
ER  -