Acceleration of Biochar Surface Oxidation during Composting?

Biochar composting experiments were performed to determine whether composting is a suitable method to accelerate biochar surface oxidation for increasing its reactivity. To assess the results, surface properties of Terra Preta (Brazil) and ancient charcoal pit (Northern Italy) biochars were additionally investigated. Calculation of O/C ratios by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy demonstrated the anticipated increasing values from fresh biochars (0.

Carbon sequestration and fertility after centennial time scale incorporation of charcoal into soil.

The addition of pyrogenic carbon (C) in the soil is considered a potential strategy to achieve direct C sequestration and potential reduction of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we investigated the long term effects of charcoal addition on C sequestration and soil physico-chemical properties by studying a series of abandoned charcoal hearths in the Eastern Alps of Italy established in the XIX century. This natural setting can be seen as an analogue of a deliberate experiment with replications.

The influence of weathering and organic matter on heavy metals lability in silicatic, Alpine soils.

We investigated the effect of organic matter and weathering on the lability and solid phase speciation of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in two contrasting subalpine regions in the Italian Alps. Cr, Ni and Cu could be linked to weathering. This was not the case for Pb.

IS Rm31, a new insertion sequence of the IS 66 family in Sinorhizobium meliloti.

Sinorhizobium meliloti natural populations show a high level of genetic polymorphism possibly due to the presence of mobile genetic elements such as insertion sequences (IS), transposons, and bacterial mobile introns. The analysis of the DNA sequence polymorphism of the nod region of S. meliloti p SymA megaplasmid in an Italian isolate led to the discovery of a new insertion sequence, IS Rm31.