*3.2.4 Reduction of hazardous materials of environment*

Biochar has the ability to sorb major environmental contaminants which are harmful for the soil. Sequestration of organic pollutants are being done by using biochar to alter their effects on the environment ultimately. Due to its struggling nature towards microorganisms and its astonishing sorption affinity, biochar acts as a critical binding phase for different organic pollutants in the environment. It was observed that the heavy metals present in the soil immensely affect the adsorption of organic pollutants on biochar and also interfere with their transport and fate. Biochar has the ability to adsorb organic contamination like persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as they have high affinity for biochar because it is naturally occurring [7].

#### **3.3 Role of biochar on soil health**

Soil health refers to the capacity of soil to perform a number of agronomic and environmental functions. Important among these functions are: agronomic/ biomass productivity, response to management and inputs and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. With reference to agricultural land use, soil health refers to the capacity of the soil to sustain and support the growth of crops and animals while also maintaining or improving the quality of the environment. Maintaining an appropriate level of soil organic matter and biological cycling of nutrients is crucial to the success of any soil management regime. The decline in SOM contributes to several soil degradation processes including erosion, compaction, salinization, nutrient deficiency, loss of biodiversity and desertification, all of which are accompanied by a reduction in soil fertility [37]. Hence, the application of biochar and its impact on the quality of soil function is worthy of an exhaustive assessment.

According to Venkatesh et al. [38], transforming a low-value crop residue into a potentially high-value carbon source and its soil application has several important benefits. A brief review about these beneficial aspects are presented in **Table 3**.

#### *3.3.1 Soil physical properties*

Biochar as a soil amendment may improve the physicochemical properties of degraded or nutrient-depleted soils. The ability of biochar to retain soil water is a function of the combination of its porosity and surface functionality [39]. Porous *Biochar: A Sustainable Approach for Improving Soil Health and Environment DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97136*

