Recycling paper to recarbonise soil

Mao, Li, Keenor, Sam G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8620-8133, Cai, Chao, Kilham, Steve, Murfitt, Joanne and Reid, Brian J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9613-979X (2022) Recycling paper to recarbonise soil. Science of the Total Environment, 847. ISSN 0048-9697

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Abstract

Soil organic carbon can be increased through sympathetic land management and/or directly by incorporating carbon rich amendments. Herein, a field experiment amended paper crumble (PC) to soil at a normal deployment rate of 50 t ha−1, and at higher rates up to 200 t ha−1. The nominal 50 t ha−1 PC amendment resulted a mean increase in soil carbon of 12.5 g kg−1. Using a modified ROTH-C carbon fate model, the long-term (50 years) carbon storage potential of a 50 t ha−1 PC amendment was determined to be 0.36 tC ha−1. Modelling a rotational (4 yearly) 50 t ha−1 PC amendment indicated 6.65 tC ha−1 uplift would accrue after 50 years. Contextualised for the average farm in the East of England (~120 ha, with 79 % as arable), PC derived increases in SOC would be equivalent to 2310 t CO2e. These results support the use of PC to deliver significant levels of soil recarbonisation. Beyond carbon, PC was observed to influence other soil properties. Benefits observed included, decreased bulk density, increased water holding capacity, and increased cation exchange capacity. While PC amendment did not significantly increase wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop yield, manifold benefits in terms of increased SOC, long-term carbon storage potential, and improved soil quality sustains PC as a beneficial soil conditioner.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Acknowledgements: This research funded by Research England's Connecting Capability Fund (CCF), under the EIRA project VALCRUM.
Uncontrolled Keywords: amendment,carbon sequestration,conditioner,paper crumble,soil carbon,environmental engineering,environmental chemistry,waste management and disposal,pollution ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2305
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Environmental Biology
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Geosciences
University of East Anglia Schools > Faculty of Science > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 26 Jul 2022 10:30
Last Modified: 25 Nov 2023 03:13
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/86857
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157473

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