Quantifying pyrogenic carbon: don't miss the big bits? (original) (raw)

Pyrogenic carbon (PyC; also known as black carbon or biochar), is viewed as an important carbon form that may contribute substantially to C sequestration in soils. However, big uncertainties arise when trying estimate PyC stocks in the environment. One of the main hurdles is the use of a wide range of methodologies used for PyC quantification, which can lead to variations in estimates of PyC quantities of several orders of magnitude. Another problem is that, as PyC is a continuum of compounds affected by different degrees of charring, the window of this continuum that is considered in a given study determines the amount of PyC quantified. When quantifying PyC in soils, two main approaches are currently taken: (i) estimation of charcoal content by visual detection, and (ii) estimation of PyC content in the bulk soil by various chemical, spectroscopic and/or thermal methods. The second approach is usually carried out for soil samples after sieving to < 2 mm. The aim of this contrib...

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