Collaborative Biochar Research Initiative - gwprojects.org

How can aromatic carbon increase soil fertility?
It turns out that aromatic carbon is not totally “stable”
Aromatic carbon can be slowly oxidized (= partially
decomposed)
Oxidation adds oxygen containing functional groups
to the aromatic rings
Chunk of aromatic black
carbon prior to oxidative
decomposition
oxidative
decomposition
Decomposition fragment
with oxygen containing
functional groups
O
OH
OH
O
O
OH