Short-Term Aging of Pod-Derived Biochar Reduces Soil Cadmium Mobility and Ameliorates Cadmium Toxicity to Soil Enzymes and Tomato.

Contamination of agricultural soil with cadmium (Cd) has become a global concern because of its adverse effects on ecohealth and food safety. Soil amendment with biochar has become one of the phytotechnologies to reduce soil metal phyto-availability and its potential risks along the food chain. Biochar, derived from cocoa pod, was evaluated in soil Cd fractions (exchangeable, reducible, oxidizable, and residual) by modified Commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference sequential extraction and its efficacy to ameliorate Cd toxicity to soil enzymes and leaf bioactive compounds.