Phosphoric acid-activated biochars from orange and potato peels as adsorption barriers to prevent picloram and imidacloprid leaching in contaminated soils.
Vidal J, Báez ME, Garrido Morales F, Yar A, Thiam A
Soil Health
If your vegetable beds or orchard sit near farm fields treated with weed killers or insecticides, amending your soil with biochar made from kitchen scraps could act as a chemical sponge, protecting your crops and the water table beneath your feet.
Scientists took orange and potato peels, treated them with phosphoric acid, and baked them to create a type of super-absorbent charcoal called biochar. When mixed into contaminated soil, this material grabbed onto two widely used farm chemicals — a weed killer and an insecticide — and held them tight so rain couldn't carry them down into groundwater. The best part is that the raw ingredients are agricultural food waste that would otherwise be thrown away.
Key Findings
Biochars derived from orange and potato peels, activated with phosphoric acid, significantly reduced leaching of picloram (herbicide) and imidacloprid (insecticide) through contaminated soil columns.
Phosphoric acid activation enhanced the adsorption capacity of the biochars compared to non-activated versions, likely by increasing surface area and pore structure.
The study demonstrates a circular-economy approach: food-processing waste (citrus and potato peels) can be upcycled into functional soil amendments that address agricultural chemical contamination.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers turned food waste — orange peels and potato peels — into activated charcoal-like materials that can be added to soil to trap two common agricultural chemicals, preventing them from washing into groundwater.
Abstract Preview
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