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BENEFITS AND MANY USES OF CHARCOAL
Different studies have demonstrated significant
agronomic benefits, such as increased crops
production, inside soils improved with biochar. Its
application helps to improve the fertility of the soil
and to increase water and essential nutrients
retention for the plants, in particular calcium,
potassium and phosphorus.

Thanks to its porous structure and a high surface
area, Biochar influences the physical properties of
the soil, for example by helping water retention and
by increasing the surface area.
Another positive effect is the increase in the pH of the soil, caused by the presence of basic
substances in the char. This is particularly useful in acid soils, in which the increase of pH leads to
an increase of the solubility of important elements for plants, such as phosphorus, calcium and
potassium.
Also, after placing in the ground, the surface of the char undergoes oxidation with the formation of
carboxylic and phenolic functional groups, that confer negative charges pH dependent to the
surface.
This produces the improvement of the chemical characteristics of the soil, such as an increase of
the cationic exchange capacity (CEC) and of water retention, nutrient and agrochemical products,
available to plants and crops. The CSC is, in fact, indicative to the ability of the soil to retain
cations in an available form for plants and to minimize losses due to leaching.
The use of biochar as a soil improver therefore leads to a reduction of the leaching of important

nutrients with the consequent increase of the soil fertility and, at the same time, it reduces the
pollution of aquifers. All this also allows less use of chemical fertilizers with important

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