Monday, March 23, 2026

Turning crops into carbon sinks: Biochar offers a low-cost path to carbon removal in China

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

image:
Carbon dioxide removal potential of biochar with biomass supply from bioenergy crops in China
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Credit: Mengjie Han, Chenyi Yuan, Philippe Ciais, Daniel S. Goll, Yi Leng, Minxuan Sun, Nan Meng, Jiaxin Zhou, Xiaomeng Du, Dabo Guan, Wenjia Cai, Rui Wang, Jianxiang Shen, Liang Jing, Qing Zhao & Wei Li

A new study reveals that transforming biomass from dedicated energy crops into biochar could provide a cost-effective and scalable solution for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping China move closer to its carbon neutrality goals.

Researchers developed a novel approach that combines biochar production with biomass supply from bioenergy crops, addressing long-standing limitations in carbon dioxide removal technologies. Biochar, a stable carbon-rich material produced by heating biomass under low-oxygen conditions, can lock carbon in soils for decades or even centuries while improving soil health.

“Biochar has long been recognized as a promising carbon removal strategy, but its deployment has been constrained by limited biomass supply,” said the study’s corresponding author. “Our work shows that integrating bioenergy crops into the system can significantly expand its potential while keeping costs low.”

The team evaluated this integrated system across China by analyzing existing biomass power plants, transportation networks, and realistic biomass supply chains. They found that using bioenergy crops grown on abandoned cropland could deliver a carbon removal potential of about 25.8 million tons of CO2 per year. This level is comparable to biochar produced from agricultural and forestry residues, which has traditionally been the main feedstock.

Importantly, the study highlights a major economic advantage. Producing biochar using this combined approach costs roughly $9.6 per ton of CO2 removed, making it far cheaper than bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS, which costs about $90.9 per ton. While BECCS can remove slightly more carbon, its high infrastructure and storage costs limit its practicality.

“Cost is a critical factor for large-scale deployment,” the authors noted. “Biochar stands out because it delivers meaningful carbon removal at a fraction of the cost of alternative technologies.”

Beyond cost, the research also demonstrates the scalability of the approach. By expanding biomass supply through energy crops and building additional pyrolysis facilities, the total carbon removal potential of biochar in China could reach up to 1.88 billion tons of CO2 per year under optimized conditions.

The study also identifies where this strategy could be most effective. Regions with abundant biomass resources and existing infrastructure, such as eastern and northeastern China, show the highest potential. Meanwhile, underutilized land in other regions offers opportunities for cultivating bioenergy crops without competing with food production.

In addition to removing carbon, biochar provides co-benefits for agriculture. When applied to soil, it can enhance soil organic carbon, improve nutrient retention, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide. These benefits make biochar a multifunctional solution that supports both climate mitigation and sustainable agriculture.

However, the authors caution that challenges remain. Scaling up biochar production will require investment in infrastructure, improved integration with existing energy systems, and reliable biomass supply chains. Policy support and carbon market incentives will also play a key role in making large-scale deployment viable.

“Our findings suggest that biochar, especially when paired with bioenergy crops, could become a cornerstone of climate mitigation strategies,” the researchers said. “With the right policies and investments, it has the potential to deliver both environmental and economic benefits.”

As countries worldwide seek practical ways to achieve net-zero emissions, this study positions biochar as a promising, affordable, and scalable tool in the global fight against climate change.

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Journal Reference: Han, M., Yuan, C., Ciais, P. et al. Carbon dioxide removal potential of biochar with biomass supply from bioenergy crops in China. Biochar 8, 43 (2026).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-025-00564-x

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About Biochar

Biochar (e-ISSN: 2524-7867) is the first journal dedicated exclusively to biochar research, spanning agronomy, environmental science, and materials science. It publishes original studies on biochar production, processing, and applications—such as bioenergy, environmental remediation, soil enhancement, climate mitigation, water treatment, and sustainability analysis. The journal serves as an innovative and professional platform for global researchers to share advances in this rapidly expanding field.

Journal

Biochar

DOI

10.1007/s42773-025-00564-x

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Carbon dioxide removal potential of biochar with biomass supply from bioenergy crops in China

Engineered biochar and beneficial bacteria team up to boost crop growth

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

image:
Bacillus-functionalized sewage sludge biochar boosts cabbage growth through improved nitrogen assimilation
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Credit: Zhongwang Liu, Bing Yu, Yupei Xu, Shuangyu Yang, Jue Cang, Yutao Peng, Jinfang Tan, Lan Liu, Wenjun Li, Xingzhong Liu & Mi Wei

A new study has unveiled an innovative way to turn waste into a powerful tool for sustainable agriculture. Researchers have developed a specially engineered biochar made from sewage sludge that, when combined with beneficial bacteria, significantly enhances plant growth by improving how crops absorb nitrogen.

Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced by heating organic waste in low oxygen conditions, has long been recognized for its ability to improve soil health. However, its potential as a carrier for beneficial microbes has been limited by challenges in maintaining microbial survival and effectiveness in real-world soils. The new study addresses this issue by redesigning sewage sludge biochar into a more microbe-friendly material.

“Our goal was to create a biochar that not only supports beneficial microbes but actively enhances their function in the soil,” said the study’s corresponding author. “By combining engineered biochar with a plant growth-promoting bacterium, we achieved a synergistic effect that significantly boosts crop performance.”

The team developed a novel material called SSBC37 using a stepwise process. First, they extracted nutrient-rich dissolved compounds from low-temperature biochar. Then, they reprocessed the remaining material at a higher temperature to improve its structure. Finally, they reintroduced the extracted nutrients to create a balanced material that supports microbial growth while maintaining strong physical properties.

This engineered biochar was then loaded with Bacillus velezensis, a beneficial bacterium known for promoting plant growth. When applied to cabbage plants, the combined system increased aboveground dry biomass by up to nearly 40 percent compared to untreated plants. It also outperformed treatments using either the biochar or the bacteria alone.

The researchers found that the biochar provided both a habitat and a nutrient source for the bacteria. Specific compounds in the biochar stimulated bacterial metabolism, enabling the microbes to grow more efficiently and colonize plant roots. In turn, the bacteria altered the soil microbial community in ways that favored plant nutrition.

One key mechanism involved improved nitrogen cycling. The biochar-bacteria combination increased the abundance of beneficial soil microbes associated with nitrogen transformation. It also enhanced soil enzyme activity and led to higher levels of ammonium nitrogen, a form readily absorbed by plants. As a result, the cabbage plants showed greater nitrogen uptake and improved growth.

Importantly, the study also revealed how the introduced bacteria interact with native soil microbes. The beneficial bacteria suppressed certain fungal groups while promoting helpful bacterial populations, creating a more favorable rhizosphere environment for plant development.

“This work highlights the importance of designing biochar materials that work in harmony with soil microbiomes,” the authors noted. “By understanding these interactions, we can develop more effective biofertilizers that reduce reliance on chemical inputs.”

The findings offer a promising pathway for recycling sewage sludge, a growing global waste challenge, into high-value agricultural products. By transforming waste into a functional biochar that enhances microbial performance, the approach supports both environmental sustainability and food production.

As agriculture faces increasing pressure to reduce environmental impacts while maintaining productivity, innovations like this could play a key role. The study demonstrates that carefully engineered biochar, combined with beneficial microbes, can unlock new possibilities for sustainable crop management and soil health improvement.

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Journal Reference: Liu, Z., Yu, B., Xu, Y. et al. Bacillus-functionalized sewage sludge biochar boosts cabbage growth through improved nitrogen assimilation. Biochar 8, 42 (2026).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-025-00561-0

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About Biochar

Journal

Biochar

DOI

10.1007/s42773-025-00561-0

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Bacillus-functionalized sewage sludge biochar boosts cabbage growth through improved nitrogen assimilation

Biochar particle size found to shape disease control in crops

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

image:
Particle size influences biochar-mediated control of pepper Phytophthora blight: linking released compounds to soil microbial disease suppression
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Credit: Guangfei Wang, Jianbin Ji, Chao Lu, Yan Ma, Guihua Li & Jianfeng Zhang

A new study reveals that not all biochar works the same way in protecting crops from disease. Researchers have discovered that the particle size of biochar determines how effectively and how long it can suppress soil-borne pathogens, offering new insights for sustainable agriculture.

Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from plant biomass, has gained attention for improving soil health and reducing plant diseases. However, until now, scientists did not fully understand how physical properties such as particle size influence its performance.

In this study, researchers investigated how fine and coarse biochar affect pepper plants suffering from Phytophthora blight, a devastating disease caused by the pathogen Phytophthora capsici. Their findings show that particle size controls the timing and durability of disease suppression by regulating how biochar releases nutrients and organic compounds into the soil.

“Our results demonstrate that biochar is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” said the study’s lead author. “Fine biochar acts quickly but loses effectiveness over time, while coarse biochar provides a slower yet more sustained protective effect.”

Through greenhouse experiments, the team found that fine biochar significantly reduced disease severity during the early stages of plant growth. This rapid protection was linked to the quick release of minerals and labile organic carbon, which stimulated beneficial soil microbes and suppressed the pathogen. However, as these compounds were depleted, the protective effect weakened.

In contrast, coarse biochar released its compounds more gradually. While its initial impact was less pronounced, it maintained stronger disease suppression over time. This sustained release supported long-term increases in beneficial bacteria and fungi, which continued to inhibit the pathogen.

The researchers identified key microbial groups, including Pseudomonas, Trichoderma, and Penicillium, that played important roles in suppressing disease. These organisms thrived when biochar released nutrients into the soil, enhancing microbial competition against the pathogen.

“Our findings highlight that biochar works through dynamic interactions with soil microbes,” the authors explained. “By controlling how nutrients are released, particle size shapes the entire microbial ecosystem and its ability to fight disease.”

Importantly, the study showed that electrical conductivity, representing mineral release, and labile organic carbon were the main drivers of microbial activity and disease suppression. These components fueled microbial growth and increased antagonistic interactions against the pathogen, ultimately reducing its abundance.

The research provides a new perspective on how to optimize biochar use in agriculture. Rather than applying a single type of biochar, farmers and land managers may benefit from tailoring particle size to specific goals, such as rapid disease control or long-term soil health improvement.

“This work opens the door to precision biochar applications,” said the researchers. “By selecting the right particle size, we can design more effective and sustainable strategies to protect crops.”

As global agriculture faces increasing pressure from soil degradation and plant diseases, such insights are critical for developing environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides. Biochar, already valued for its carbon storage potential, may also become a powerful tool for managing plant health.

The study offers practical guidance for improving crop resilience while advancing sustainable farming practices, demonstrating that even small physical differences in materials can have major impacts on agricultural outcomes.

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Journal Reference: Wang, G., Ji, J., Lu, C. et al. Particle size influences biochar-mediated control of pepper Phytophthora blight: linking released compounds to soil microbial disease suppression. Biochar 8, 44 (2026).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-025-00566-9

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About Biochar

Journal

Biochar

DOI

10.1007/s42773-025-00566-9

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Particle size influences biochar-mediated control of pepper Phytophthora blight: linking released compounds to soil microbial disease suppression

Microscale “charosphere” around biochar particles cuts cadmium uptake in wheat

Maximum Academic Press

Using high-resolution sampling in cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil, researchers show that within just a few millimeters of biochar, soil chemistry shifts dramatically, reducing Cd bioavailability and plant uptake. Wheat grown near these microzones accumulated up to 46% less Cd in roots and 28% less in shoots.

Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolyzing crop residues, has emerged as a promising soil amendment capable of improving fertility while reducing pollutant risks. Once incorporated into soil, biochar particles form localized microenvironments—known as “charospheres”—that resemble the rhizosphere surrounding plant roots. Within this narrow zone, typically only 1–2 mm thick, sharp gradients in pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and redox conditions develop. Previous research suggested that biochar can immobilize Cd by raising soil pH and providing surface functional groups that bind metals. However, the spatial extent, temporal evolution, and mechanistic control of this microscale process remained unclear. Understanding how far and how long the charosphere influences heavy metal behavior is essential for optimizing biochar-based remediation strategies.

A study (DOI: 10.48130/scm-0025-0016) published in Sustainable Carbon Materials on 28 January 2026 by Jinlong Yan & Yuming Liu’s team, Yancheng Institute of Technology, demonstrates that the effectiveness of biochar depends less on total application rate and more on precise microscale placement, offering a new strategy for safer crop production in contaminated soils.

Using a stratified microcosm system with controlled biochar placement, the study systematically examined microscale soil responses within 0–10 mm of biochar particles over 28 days. Soil pH, DTPA-extractable Cd, DOC, Cd concentrations in wheat tissues, and biochar surface chemistry were measured, and principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to clarify interactions among variables. The results showed that all biochar treatments (2.5%–7.5%) significantly increased soil pH within the charosphere compared with soil 10 mm away, with rises of 0.01–0.36 units depending on application rate. The pH effect was strongest near the particle surface and declined with distance, confirming a clear spatial gradient driven by alkaline ion release. Correspondingly, bioavailable Cd (DTPA-extractable) decreased significantly within the 2-mm zone, particularly during the first 7 days, and remained lower than the control throughout the incubation. Biochar also shifted Cd speciation from exchangeable and carbonate fractions toward more stable reducible and residual forms. DOC concentrations were elevated near biochar surfaces but decreased with distance and over time, with more than 50% of labile DOC degraded within 28 days, indicating dynamic microbial processing. Plant data mirrored soil gradients: compared with the 10 mm position, Cd concentrations declined by 5.3%–28.3% in shoots and 2.3%–46.3% in roots across the 2–8 mm zone, with stronger reductions at higher biochar rates and closer proximity. Surface analyses (SEM-EDS, XPS, FTIR) confirmed that oxygen-containing functional groups (–OH, –COOH, Si–O, Fe–O) mediated Cd complexation and stabilization. PCA revealed that pH, DOC, biochar rate, distance, and time collectively explained over 90% of Cd variability, demonstrating that microscale alkalinity, functional-group density, and temporal surface oxidation jointly govern Cd immobilization and reduced plant uptake within the charosphere.

This study demonstrates that cadmium immobilization is controlled by microscale chemical gradients within the charosphere rather than by bulk soil dilution. Targeted placement of biochar near seeds or root zones can therefore enhance metal stabilization while reducing application rates and costs. By limiting Cd uptake without impairing nutrient availability, charosphere engineering offers a practical strategy for safer crop production, with feedstock composition and pyrolysis conditions serving as key optimization factors.

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References

DOI

10.48130/scm-0025-0016

Original Souce URL

https://doi.org/10.48130/scm-0025-0016

Funding information

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 21677119, 22006127, and 41501339), and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. BK20221407), as well as the Yancheng City Science and Technology Key R&D (Grant No. YCBE202308).

About Sustainable Carbon Materials

Sustainable Carbon Materials is a multidisciplinary platform for communicating advances in fundamental and applied research on carbon-based materials. It is dedicated to serving as an innovative, efficient and professional platform for researchers in the field of carbon materials around the world to deliver findings from this rapidly expanding field of science. It is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes review, original research, invited review, rapid report, perspective, commentary and correspondence papers.

DOI

10.48130/scm-0025-0016

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Biochar-induced charosphere microenvironment modulates soil cadmium bioavailability and wheat uptake

New test dissolves threat of fake drugs

Low-cost UC Riverside invention could save lives

University of California - Riverside

Pill fingerprint test setup — image:
By counting the particles formed when a pill dissolves in a water-filled cup, the team’s device can identify fake medications.
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Credit: William Grover/UCR

Fake news can be tricky to spot, but spotting fake drugs just got a little easier. Researchers have devised a low-cost way to help distinguish legitimate medications from counterfeit ones.

The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 10 medications ranging from cancer treatment to contraceptives are either fake or otherwise “substandard.” Though this primarily affects the developing world, there are also gray markets for weight-loss or anti-aging drugs in the U.S.

“Watered-down or illicit versions of drugs like Botox or popular GLP-1 inhibitors have caused serious injuries or death,” said William Grover, associate bioengineering professor at the University of California, Riverside.

In response to this problem, Grover’s laboratory has developed a fake drug detector that could be manufactured for under $30, and potentially for as little as $5. Open-source plans to build the device are detailed in a new paper in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

At its core is a low-cost infrared sensor made for use in toy robots able to follow lines drawn on paper. The researchers repurposed the sensors to instead track the rate at which pills dissolve in water.

All pills of a given drug dissolve — or should dissolve — at roughly the same rate. Legitimate medications don’t necessarily dissolve any faster or slower than counterfeit ones. But they were made by different people at different facilities and with different ingredients, so their dissolution rates form a “fingerprint” that makes them identifiable and different from that of a fake drug.

“The theory here is that if it’s a legitimate medicine, the manufacturer made every pill identical enough that they’ll all behave roughly the same way when they dissolve,” Grover explained. "So if you test a suspect pill, and it dissolves at a different rate than the real thing, this suggests the suspect pill is counterfeit."

While others have used dissolution rates to determine a medication’s legitimacy, Grover’s laboratory made the tests more sophisticated by creating an electronic device that converts a pill’s dissolution into a digital signature that they call a “disintegration fingerprint.”

After designing the device, the researchers sought to create a library of these fingerprints that could be used to identify a suspect pill. The group tested over 30 different medications ranging from antibiotics and vitamin supplements to prescription opioids and over-the-counter painkillers. They found that 90% of these pills could be correctly identified using the fingerprinting method.

The group also tested whether their technique could distinguish name-brand and generic versions of the same drug.

“We took Bayer aspirin pills and drug-store-brand aspirin — these are basically identical medicines with the same active ingredient and very similar inactive ingredients,” Grover said, “but when ran through our tests, we could easily tell the difference between the two products.”

The research team even recruited their friends and family to collect samples of drug products from across the U.S. and Canada. They found that pills of the same product typically have similar disintegration fingerprints regardless of where they were purchased. However, some manufacturers make slightly different versions of products for different countries and fingerprinting successfully distinguished U.S. and Canadian versions of a product.

Though there are high-quality pharmaceuticals widely available in the U.S., the CDC warns that there is a public health risk for people ordering what they believe to be prescription medications from disreputable online pharmacies. These medications are frequently found to be fakes.

Other times, a medication could contain irregularities because of manufacturing mistakes. “A facility could get a drum of mislabeled ingredients that can get incorporated into the medicine,” Grover said. “But even an honest error can lead to death.”

In the future, Grover would like to use this method to detect fake antimalarial drugs. These are drugs that treat malaria, a major cause of death in many tropical regions. Malaria is treatable with the right medications.

“Unfortunately, bad actors know they can make money preying on the need for antimalarials. They sell pills that have the same packaging as authentic antimalarials, but don’t contain the active ingredients,” Grover said. “If someone gives these pills to their child, they won’t cure their infection.”

Grover hopes to get his tool into the hands of those who can use it to fight fake antimalarials and other fake drugs.

“I can’t imagine a more despicable person than someone who would sell fake medicine to a child. I hope our work makes those criminals’ lives a little harder.”

Montage of tested pharmaceuticals.

Credit

William Grover/UCR

Journal

Analytical Chemistry

DOI

10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05418

Article Title

Disintegration Fingerprinting: A Low-Cost and User-Friendly Tool for Identifying Substandard and Falsified Solid-Dosage MedicinesArticle link copied!

Article Publication Date

19-Mar-2026

Initial tests find lead in children’s fast-fashion clothing

American Chemical Society

ATLANTA, March 23, 2026 — Fast fashion is an inexpensive way to dress rapidly growing kids. But preliminary research has found that the fabric in some of these items contains an unwanted, toxic ingredient: lead. After testing several shirts from different retailers, undergraduate researchers found that all samples exceeded U.S. federal regulatory lead limits. They also estimate that even briefly chewing these fabrics (which young kids tend to do) could expose children to dangerous lead levels.

The researchers will present their results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Spring 2026 is being held March 22-26; it features nearly 11,000 presentations on a range of science topics.

Kamila Deavers, the principal investigator of the project, began studying lead contamination after her young daughter briefly showed elevated levels of lead in her blood from toy coatings, which happened before today’s strict federal lead limits were in place. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission currently has a 100-parts-per-million (ppm) lead limit for children’s products like toys and clothing. So now, Deavers and undergraduate researchers in her chemistry lab at Marian University focus on identifying heavy-metal-exposure risks in everyday life and sharing the results with the local community.

“I started to see many articles about lead in clothing from fast fashion,” says Deavers. “And I realized not too many parents knew about the issue.”

Previous studies have found high levels of lead in the metal parts in some children’s clothing, such as zippers, buttons and snaps, which has led to product recalls. But lead has also been reported in adult fast-fashion textiles. Deavers says that some manufacturers use lead(II) acetate as an inexpensive way to help dyes stick to the materials and produce bright, long-lasting color.

Cristina Avello and Priscila Espinoza, who are both on pre-medicine tracks at Marian University, joined the project because they wanted to investigate the potential impact of fast fashion on the pediatric population. They saw working in Deavers’ lab as an opportunity to combine meaningful scientific research with community education on an overlooked health issue.

Lead exposure is considered harmful at any level, potentially causing behavior problems, brain and central nervous system damage as well as other negative health effects. Children under 6 years old are considered most at risk from exposure, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Not only are children the most vulnerable to the effects of lead, but they’re also the population that is going to be putting their clothes in their mouths,” says Avello.

The team tested 11 shirts that spanned the rainbow — red, pink, orange, yellow, gray and blue — from four retailers, including fast-fashion and discount companies. “We saw that the shirts we tested were all over the allowed limit for lead of 100 ppm,” says Espinoza. No matter the brand, brightly colored textiles, like red and yellow, tended toward higher amounts of total lead than muted colors. Additionally, Avello recognizes that it’s not feasible to test all children’s clothing items; but from what the team sampled so far, none followed U.S. federal lead regulations.

In a second experiment, the researchers simulated stomach digestion, calculating potential lead exposure and absorption from the tested items. The analysis estimates the maximum lead bioaccessibility within gastric acid, and the researchers used that data to model the potential transfer during mouthing behavior (e.g., sucking, holding or chewing on fabric). The findings suggest that such exposure would exceed the daily lead ingestion limit for children, a safety benchmark set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These bioaccessibilty calculations are likely conservative, says Deavers. Regardless, the data suggest frequent chewing over time could increase a child’s blood lead levels to a point where clinical monitoring is recommended.

Next, Avello and Espinoza will study more shirts and examine their data to see if there is a relationship between the fabric’s lead levels and what children could absorb. They would also like to explore how laundering affects the lead(II) acetate, including whether washing contaminated clothing could spread it to other garments and how different detergents interact with it. For example, it could create a lead-containing scum inside the washing machine that would need to be removed to avoid releasing the contamination into wastewater.

The researchers want these initial results to encourage more thorough screening of clothing items being sold and push the textile industry to find safer replacements to lead(II) acetate during the dyeing process. Alternatives already exist to fix dyes to fabrics and keep them vibrant, including natural mordants from plants with high tannin contents such as oak bark, pomegranate peel and rosemary, and alum, an environmentally safe mordant. “But if you want to change the clothing industry’s technology, that will cost a lot of money,” says Deavers. Without consumer or policy pressure on textile manufacturers to explore safer dyeing methods, there’s little incentive to switch.

Ultimately, the team’s goal is to raise awareness and educate consumers on the potential risks of lead exposure from children’s fast fashion, so people can make informed choices. Avello concludes, “Everything that we’re doing is only important and helpful if we talk about it.”

The research was funded by internal grants from Marian University and Sigma Zeta.

Visit the ACS Spring 2026 program to learn more about this presentation, “Lead contamination in fast fashion children’s clothing,” and other science presentations.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Its mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community and champion scientific integrity, and its vision is a world built on science. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS Division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Title
Lead contamination in fast fashion children’s clothing

Abstract
Fast fashion has raised concerns in recent years due to inconsistent quality controls and potential health risks. Among these risks, lead contamination in clothing is particularly alarming, especially for children. However, regulations on lead levels in clothing are hard to enforce due to the high volume of imported goods. To address this, lead levels were investigated in various colors, brands, and countries of origin. Initial screening was conducted using XRF (X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy), followed by quantitative analysis with ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma). Clothing samples were digested using acid according to EPA 3050b, and bioaccessibility testing was performed using EPA 1340. Additionally, gastric acid was utilized to estimate lead release during ingestion, while saliva was used to imitate oral exposure. Moreover, the ratio of bioaccessible lead was calculated by comparing total and available concentrations and adjusted to child body weight. These findings highlight the implications of lead exposure and the urgent need for improved monitoring and regulatory enforcement.

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Monday, March 23, 2026

Turning crops into carbon sinks: Biochar offers a low-cost path to carbon removal in China

Journal

DOI

Method of Research

Article Title

Engineered biochar and beneficial bacteria team up to boost crop growth

Journal

DOI

Method of Research

Article Title

Biochar particle size found to shape disease control in crops

Journal

DOI

Method of Research

Article Title

Microscale “charosphere” around biochar particles cuts cadmium uptake in wheat

DOI

Method of Research

Subject of Research

Article Title

New test dissolves threat of fake drugs

Montage of tested pharmaceuticals.

Credit

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Article Publication Date

Initial tests find lead in children’s fast-fashion clothing

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