Co-Pyrolyzed Rice Husk and Cow Bone In Situ Cd-Remediation for Corn Plant Growth. A Comprehensive Case Study

The paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of biochar prepared from the co-pyrolysis of rice husk and cow bone (RHCBC) for in situ remediation and amelioration of Cd-contaminated soil. Effects of RHCBC on Cd bioavailability in soil and Cd uptake in corn growth were investigated through cultivation experiments and pot experiments. The results showed that the addition of RHCBC in the Cd-contaminated soil achieved the increase of soil pH, CEC, and SOM, whereas the soil available Cd content was reduced by 29.08–51.06%, which was proved by the transformation of Cd from acid soluble and exchangeable state to residual state. Furthermore, the nutrient contents of soil were also increased by 82.41–230.09% for alkali-hydrolyzable N, 66.81–144.03% for available P, and 16.20–77.70% for available K, respectively, which promoted the growth of corn. Overall, it is a promising strategy to employ RHCBC for in situ remediation of Cd-contaminated soil and promotion of plant growth as efficient soil amendment.