IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i2p372-d1588638.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Phytotoxicity and Metals Mobility Assessment in Mining Wastes Amended with Various Biochars

Author

Listed:
  • Yassine Chafik

    (Laboratory of Physiology, Ecology and Environment (P2E), UR 1207/USC INRAE 1328, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Orleans, Rue de Chartres, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2, France
    Laboratory for the Improvement of Agricultural Production, Biotechnology and Environment (LAPABE), Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed First University, B.P. 717, Oujda 60000, Morocco)

  • Marta Sena-Velez

    (Laboratory of Physiology, Ecology and Environment (P2E), UR 1207/USC INRAE 1328, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Orleans, Rue de Chartres, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2, France)

  • Hugo Henaut

    (Laboratory of Physiology, Ecology and Environment (P2E), UR 1207/USC INRAE 1328, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Orleans, Rue de Chartres, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2, France)

  • Mohammed Oujdi

    (Laboratory for the Improvement of Agricultural Production, Biotechnology and Environment (LAPABE), Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed First University, B.P. 717, Oujda 60000, Morocco)

  • Alex Ceriani

    (Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Botany, Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, University of Insubria, via Monte Generoso, 71, 21100 Varese, Italy)

  • Sabine Carpin

    (Laboratory of Physiology, Ecology and Environment (P2E), UR 1207/USC INRAE 1328, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Orleans, Rue de Chartres, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2, France)

  • Domenico Morabito

    (Laboratory of Physiology, Ecology and Environment (P2E), UR 1207/USC INRAE 1328, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Orleans, Rue de Chartres, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2, France)

  • Sylvain Bourgerie

    (Laboratory of Physiology, Ecology and Environment (P2E), UR 1207/USC INRAE 1328, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Orleans, Rue de Chartres, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2, France)

Abstract

Mining activities often contaminate soils with heavy metals, generating environmental and health risks. This study investigates the ecotoxicity of muddy (Mw) and sandy (Sw) mining wastes on Phaseolus vulgaris and assesses the impact of five locally sourced biochar amendments on plant growth and soil pore water (SPW) properties. Most biochars improved water retention, except for argan nut shells (An) biochar, highlighting the importance of feedstock type. Sw supported better plant growth than Mw regardless of biochar addition, due to textural differences. Palm fronds (Pf) biochar significantly enhanced surface leaf area in Sw. SPW analysis revealed that biochar affected pH and electrical conductivity (EC) differently across soil types. Mw consistently increased pH, while Sw’s pH was biochar-dependent. A significant 5.1-fold EC increase was recorded in Sw amended with Pf. All biochars reduced Pb availability in Mw at planting, while Cu availability decreased in Sw at harvest. In Mw, Pb, Zn, and Cu, uptake and accumulation were unaffected by biochar, while a slight reduction was observed in Sw roots. A germination test with Lepidium sativum confirmed these findings, particularly the inhibition observed with An. This dual approach highlights the toxicity of mining soils and biochars’ potential as amendments for soil remediation programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Yassine Chafik & Marta Sena-Velez & Hugo Henaut & Mohammed Oujdi & Alex Ceriani & Sabine Carpin & Domenico Morabito & Sylvain Bourgerie, 2025. "Phytotoxicity and Metals Mobility Assessment in Mining Wastes Amended with Various Biochars," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-22, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:372-:d:1588638
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/372/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/372/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. A. Taraqqi-A-Kamal & Christopher J. Atkinson & Aimal Khan & Kaikai Zhang & Peng Sun & Sharmin Akther & Yanrong Zhang, 2021. "Biochar remediation of soil: linking biochar production with function in heavy metal contaminated soils," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 67(4), pages 183-201.
    2. Zenghui Sun & Ya Hu & Lei Shi & Gang Li & Zhe Pang & Siqi Liu & Yamiao Chen & Baobao Jia, 2022. "Effects of biochar on soil chemical properties: A global meta-analysis of agricultural soil," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 68(6), pages 272-289.
    3. Ruchita Dixit & Wasiullah & Deepti Malaviya & Kuppusamy Pandiyan & Udai B. Singh & Asha Sahu & Renu Shukla & Bhanu P. Singh & Jai P. Rai & Pawan Kumar Sharma & Harshad Lade & Diby Paul, 2015. "Bioremediation of Heavy Metals from Soil and Aquatic Environment: An Overview of Principles and Criteria of Fundamental Processes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-24, February.
    4. Shi-Xiang Zhao & Na Ta & Xu-Dong Wang, 2017. "Effect of Temperature on the Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Biochar with Apple Tree Branches as Feedstock Material," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-15, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniele Basso & Elsa Weiss-Hortala & Francesco Patuzzi & Marco Baratieri & Luca Fiori, 2018. "In Deep Analysis on the Behavior of Grape Marc Constituents during Hydrothermal Carbonization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Lei Han & Rui Chen & Zhao Liu & Shanshan Chang & Yonghua Zhao & Leshi Li & Risheng Li & Longfei Xia, 2021. "Sources of and Control Measures for PTE Pollution in Soil at the Urban Fringe in Weinan, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Zhiqiang Gu & Qi Zhang & Guobi Sun & Jiaxin Lu & Yuxin Liu & Zhenxia Huang & Shuming Xu & Jianghua Xiong & Yuhuan Liu, 2023. "Pretreatment of Biogas Slurry by Modified Biochars to Promote High-Value Treatment of Wastewater by Microalgae," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Ayansina Segun Ayangbenro & Olubukola Oluranti Babalola, 2017. "A New Strategy for Heavy Metal Polluted Environments: A Review of Microbial Biosorbents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, January.
    5. Saowanee Wijitkosum, 2023. "Repurposing Disposable Bamboo Chopsticks Waste as Biochar for Agronomical Application," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-16, January.
    6. Sajid Mehmood & Xiukang Wang & Waqas Ahmed & Muhammad Imtiaz & Allah Ditta & Muhammad Rizwan & Sana Irshad & Saqib Bashir & Qudsia Saeed & Adnan Mustafa & Weidong Li, 2021. "Removal Mechanisms of Slag against Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil and Plants for Sustainable Agriculture Development: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-13, May.
    7. Mishra, Ranjeet Kumar & Mohanty, Kaustubha, 2019. "Pyrolysis of three waste biomass: Effect of biomass bed thickness and distance between successive beds on pyrolytic products yield and properties," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 549-558.
    8. Zhouli Liu & Mengdi Chen & Maosen Lin & Qinglin Chen & Qingxuan Lu & Jing Yao & Xingyuan He, 2022. "Cadmium Uptake and Growth Responses of Seven Urban Flowering Plants: Hyperaccumulator or Bioindicator?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-12, January.
    9. Prudence Bararunyeretse & Yan Zhang & Hongbing Ji, 2019. "Molecular Biology-Based Analysis of the Interactive Effect of Nickel and Xanthates on Soil Bacterial Community Diversity and Structure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-32, July.
    10. Oluwaseun Adeyinka Fasusi & Olubukola Oluranti Babalola, 2021. "The multifaceted plant-beneficial rhizobacteria toward agricultural sustainability," Plant Protection Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 57(2), pages 95-111.
    11. Mejdi Jeguirim & Lionel Limousy, 2017. "Biomass Chars: Elaboration, Characterization and Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-7, December.
    12. Khiari, Besma & Jeguirim, Mejdi & Limousy, Lionel & Bennici, Simona, 2019. "Biomass derived chars for energy applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 253-273.
    13. Roghayeh Mousavi & MirHassan Rasouli-Sadaghiani & Ebrahim Sepehr & Mohsen Barin & Ramesh Raju Vetukuri, 2023. "Improving Phosphorus Availability and Wheat Yield in Saline Soil of the Lake Urmia Basin through Enriched Biochar and Microbial Inoculation," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, March.
    14. Mohammad Ghorbani & Elnaz Amirahmadi & Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner & Petr Konvalina & Marek Kopecký & Jan Moudrý & Kristýna Perná & Yves Theoneste Murindangabo, 2022. "The Impact of Pyrolysis Temperature on Biochar Properties and Its Effects on Soil Hydrological Properties," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-15, November.
    15. Elena Goldan & Valentin Nedeff & Narcis Barsan & Mihaela Culea & Claudia Tomozei & Mirela Panainte-Lehadus & Emilian Mosnegutu, 2022. "Evaluation of the Use of Sewage Sludge Biochar as a Soil Amendment—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-22, April.
    16. Polina Kuryntseva & Kamalya Karamova & Polina Galitskaya & Svetlana Selivanovskaya & Gennady Evtugyn, 2023. "Biochar Functions in Soil Depending on Feedstock and Pyrolyzation Properties with Particular Emphasis on Biological Properties," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-39, October.
    17. Zhu, Zongyuan & Xu, Zhen, 2020. "The rational design of biomass-derived carbon materials towards next-generation energy storage: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    18. Ludovico Pontoni & Eric D. Van Hullebusch & Yoan Pechaud & Massimiliano Fabbricino & Giovanni Esposito & Francesco Pirozzi, 2016. "Colloidal Mobilization and Fate of Trace Heavy Metals in Semi-Saturated Artificial Soil (OECD) Irrigated with Treated Wastewater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-13, December.
    19. Ye-Eun Lee & Jun-Ho Jo & I-Tae Kim & Yeong-Seok Yoo, 2018. "Influence of NaCl Concentration on Food-Waste Biochar Structure and Templating Effects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, September.
    20. Łukasz Sobol & Jacek Łyczko & Arkadiusz Dyjakon & Ryszard Sroczyński, 2023. "Relationship between Odor Adsorption Ability and Physical–Hydraulic Properties of Torrefied Biomass: Initial Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-18, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:2:p:372-:d:1588638. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.