Report on the Production and Characterization of Biochar Produced at Burt ’ s Greenhouses ( Odessa , ON )

► Two concentrations of weathered PCBcontaminated soil were amended with (0, 0.2, 0.7, 2.8, and 11.1% w/w) of biochar. ► Biochar additions decreased the uptake of PCBs into plant tissue by 89% after 50 days. ► Biochar amendment significantly decreased the bioavailability of PCBs to earthworms by 88% after 50 days of exposure. ► Biochar has potential to serve as a mitigation technology at Brownfield sites. Abbreviations: PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls; PO ants; AC, activated carbon; PAH, polyaromatic hydro College of Canada; MAE, microwave assisted extraction; BAF, bioaccumulation factor. ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 613 541 6000x3713 E-mail addresses: [email protected] (M.J. De (V.S. Langlois), [email protected] (A. Rutter), zeeb-b@ 1 Tel.: +1 613 533 2642; fax: +1 613 533 2897. 2 Tel.: +1 613 541 6000x6713; fax: +1 613 542 948 0048-9697/$ – see front matter © 2012 Published by El http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.07.081 a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 13 April 2012 Received in revised form 25 June 2012 Accepted 25 July 2012 Available online xxxx