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Adsorption of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) by Willow Wood Biochars Produced at Different
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Pyrolysis Temperatures
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a
b
a
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Congying Wang , Tao Wang , Wenbin Li c, Jifeng Yan , Zengbo Li
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Herath b, e, Na Zhu
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a
c, *
, Riaz Ahmad d, Saman K.
a
School of Environmental Science and Resources, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
b
New Zealand Biochar Research Centre, Private Bag 11222, Massey University, Palmerston North,
4442, New Zealand
c
School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology,
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Taiyuan 030021, China
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d
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University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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e
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University, Badulla 9000, Sri Lanka
Department of Soil Science & Soil Water Conservation, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture
Department of Export Agriculture, Faculty of Animal Science and Export Agriculture, Uva Wellassa
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
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Tel.: +86 351 6938207.
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Fax: +86 351 6938207.
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E-mail: lizengbo2013@hotmail.com
Corresponding author: Zengbo Li
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Table of contents (1 table and 3 figures)
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Table S1 Preliminary experiment 1: comparision of properties of willow wood-derived biochars before and
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after washing by Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0)
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Figure S1 Preliminary experiment 2: comparision of thermogracimetric (TG) and derivative curves of willow
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wood-derived biochars before (W350-A, W550-A) and after (W350-B, W550-B) washing by Tris-HCl buffer
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(pH 7.0)
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Figure S2 The Scanning electron micrographs of willow biochars used in the present study
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Figure S3 Comparison of effect of electrolytes on DNA adsorption by willow biochar and soil minerals. Q buffer-
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ion
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and Ca2+) amendments
and Qbuffer representing amount of adsorbed DNA in a Tris-HCl buffer with and without cation (Na+, Mg2+
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Table S1 Preliminary experiment 1: comparision of properties of willow wood-derived biochars before and
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after washing with Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0) for 4 times (2 overnights + 2×4h). All the data are presented on a
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dry weight basis. Concentrations of Ca and Mg are represented as mean values ±standard deviations (n=2).
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Biochars were produced at 350 °C and 550 °C using a gas kiln as illustrated by Wang et al. (2012). Both the
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feedstock and biochar producing conditions are different with those described in the manuscript; therefore, the
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values of selected properties may not comparable with those recorded in Table 1 of the manuscript
Volatile
Biochar
Fixed C
Ash
N
C
H
Oa
Ca
–1
g kg–1
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
W350- B b
32.1
59.7
8.2
1.4
68.9
4.2
17.4
31.57±2.66
2.87±0.12
c
33.4
59.5
7.1
1.4
71.8
4.2
15.6
22.00±0.18
1.95±0.55
W550- B b
15.9
75.5
8.6
1.4
77.3
3.0
9.7
32.38±2.32
2.97±0.10
c
14.6
76.4
8.9
1.4
78.6
2.9
8.2
30.96±0.15
2.99±0.05
W350- A
W550- A
g kg
Mg
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a, determined by difference as O% = 100 – (C+H+N+S+Ash)%;
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b, B is shorted for “before”, that is the original samples without any treatment;
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c, A denotes “after washing with Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0) for 4 times (2 overnights + 2×4h)”
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Fig. S1 Preliminary experiment 2: comparision of thermogracimetric (TG) and derivative thermogracimetric
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(DTG) curves of willow branches-derived biochars before (W350-B, W550-B) and after (W350-A, W550-A)
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washing with Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.0) for 4 times (2 overnights + 2×4h). Biochars were produced at 350 °C and
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550 °C using a gas kiln according to Wang et al. (2012). Both the feedstock and biochar producing conditions
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are different with those described in the manuscript. The difference in these curves between treated and original
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samples are not very manifest. Therefore, we concluded that the washing procedure did not considerably
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influence C properties (can also be seen from Table S1) of biochar
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Fig. S2 The Scanning electron micrographs of willow biochars used in the present study
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Na
Mg
Ca
BC-Na
BC-Mg
BC-Ca
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Q buffe-rion/Qbuffer
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10
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4
2
0
0
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Concentration of cation (mM)
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Fig. S3 Comparison of effect of electrolytes on DNA adsorption by willow biochar and soil minerals. Q buffer-ion
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and Qbuffer representing amount of adsorbed DNA in a Tris-HCl buffer with and without cation (Na+, Mg2+ and
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Ca2+) amendments. Data of BC were from the present study and other data were cited from Cai et al. (2006) and
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Poly et al.(1999)
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Reference
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Cai P, Huang Q, Zhang X (2006) Microcalorimetric studies of the effects of MgCl2 concentrations and pH on the
adsorption of DNA on montmorillonite, kaolinite and goethite. Appl Clay Sci 32:147-152
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Poly F, Chenu C, Simonet P, Rouiller J, Jocteur Monrozier L (1999) Differences between linear chromosomal
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and supercoiled plasmid DNA in their mechanisms and extent of adsorption on clay minerals.
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Langmuir 16:1233-1238
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Wang T, Camps-Arbestain M, Hedley M, Bishop P (2012) Predicting phosphorus bioavailability from high-ash
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