Widespread application of animal manure to agricultural land causes soil and water pollution of steroid hormones and antibiotics besides excessive nutrients. Manure-borne steroid hormones have received much attention because of their endocrine-disrupting effects on animals even in trace concentration. Application of biochar, a pyrogenic product of waste biomass, has been suggested to improve sorption ability of soil and therefore influence the biodegradation of organic contaminant.  In this study, the effect of biochar on sorption-desorption and dissipation behaviors of 17 α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in loam and clay soils was evaluated. Hormone changes following soil adsorption and incubation in microcosms were characterized using HPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that biochar decreased overall dissipation of EE2 in both sandy loam and clay soils as well as microbial degradation of EE2. In addition, biochar delayed the half-life of EE2 dissipation in both soils. Biochar amendment significantly enhanced  the maximum sorption as well as non-extractable fraction of EE2, whereas it reduced the EE2 bioavailability to microorganisms. The metabolites (E1 and E2) of EE2 were only detected in trace amount or below detection limit, indicating minor process of transformation in these soils. Overall, this study demonstrated positive impacts of biochar on the retention of estrogen hormones in manure–affected soils.

Biochar effect on the sorption-desorption and dissipation of 17 α-ethinylestradiol (ee2) in sandy and clay soils

255th National Meeting (2018)

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