Hi Paul
What would you think about simply soaking new biochar in clean water, and draining it, to leach out the soluble alkalis?
Also, if you added CO2 to the “leach water” it would assist in removal of Calcium.
If the “leach water” was evaporated to dryness, the leached material could be sold to other areas where soil acidity was a problem. Alternatively, “leach water” that was produced when producing biochar for use in high pH soils could be used as a quenching agent for hot biochar, that could be sold into areas with acidic soils.
Best wishes,
Kevin
David,
The terra preta sanitation (TPS) is interesting. I am watching from afar, but I have a question that could make things more interesting for me. It is about the pH of TPS.
One of the “limitations” of biochar is that it tends toward being alkaline, pH above 7. But if it is “treated, prepared, altered” with the addition of urine (alone) or feces (alone) or both, will that make it a better soil amendment for soils that are on the alkaline side?
Related question: What methods are there for lowering the pH of biochar?
Paul
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an extra event at Global Earth Repair Foundation next sunday.
as kinda trial balloon to see if we can sail a ship for distant shores.
the main model being offered is "Terra Preta Sanitation"
based on biochar, lacto-fermentation & vermicompost:
![FixTheFertilityCycle.jpg]()
Terra Preta Sanitation
Author/Compiled by Dorothee Spuhler (seecon international gmbh), Robert Gensch (Xavier University)
Executive Summary
Terra preta is the name of a carbon and nutrient rich soil, which has been produced by pre-Columbian cultures by the incorporation of manure, charcoal and bones into the grounds. Today, this concept has been rediscovered for the treatment of human faeces and household wastes (e.g. kitchen wastes). A promising application of terra preta sanitation (TPS) is the adaption of existing urine diverting toilets to replace the storage and dehydration treatment of urine and faeces. Terra preta sanitation (TPS) systems are based on a three-step process of collection (including urine diversion), lactic acid fermentation and vermicomposting. Lacto-fermentation is an anaerobic process, but in opposition to anaerobic digestion. no gases are produced. The process thus is also odour-free, which makes it particularly interesting for in-house systems, even in urban areas. TPS has a high potential to prevent nutrient or carbon loss to the atmosphere by producing highly fertile compost (terra preta) and liquid fertilizer for agriculture.
for a green & peaceful planet,
