Organic Molecular Markers in Soils Ameliorated with Biochar

Abstract

The study analyzed the organic molecular marker signatures in a maize cultivated Fluvisol ameliorated with 5 and 10 t.ha⁻¹ biochar at the experimental field of the ISSAPP N. Poushkarov institute in Bulgaria. The n-alkane signatures and the carbon preference index (CPI) in the biochar treated soils revealed that sources of SOM were predominantly of microbial/thermal origin, while the source was only thermal in the pure biochar sample, (CPI_odd/even0.84). There was evidence from the molecular marker analysis that biochar addition may initially bring improvement of soil microbiological status. There was no significant co-occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons released from biochar several months after incorporation in the soil.