Full Project Title: Mitigation of heavy metal contamination on mined lands by the application of biochar

Project Identification Number:  ERR18 

The team is studying biochar, a form of charcoal, which has the potential to help clean up sites contaminated by mining. Mining operations can introduce heavy metals – which are toxic and not biodegradable – to soil and water. 

The researchers will evaluate biochar’s ability to remove heavy metals from water and to immobilize heavy metals in the soil. They aim to correlate the results with the plant species used to create the biochar, the way it was produced, and its chemical-physical properties. 

The team will install field plots on mine spoils contaminated with lead and cadmium and determine whether biochar can mitigate contamination and help these areas recover. 

This research was funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Ecosystem Restoration, Provision 40804.