Iron–Manganese–Magnesium Co-Modified Biochar Reduces Arsenic Mobility and Accumulation in a Pakchoi–Rice Rotation System

Abstract

Arsenic (As) contamination in paddy soils poses a serious risk to rice safety and human health. To mitigate this issue, we developed a low-temperature, partially pyrolyzed Fe/Mn/Mg-modified biochar (FMM-BC) and evaluated its performance and mechanisms for remediating As-contaminated soil through a pakchoi–rice rotation pot experiment, aiming to reduce As accumulation in rice grains and pakchoi. The results indicated that FMM-BC application altered soil physicochemical properties and As speciation, reducing both water-soluble and bioavailable As and promoting its transformation from exchangeable to more stable organic-bound and residual fractions. Compared with the control, FMM-BC application reduced arsenic content in rice stems, leaves, and brown rice to 1.94 mg∙kg−1, 5.24 mg∙kg−1, and 1.21 mg∙kg−1, respectively. In contrast, unmodified biochar (BC) increased As bioavailability and plant uptake, underscoring the importance of Fe/Mn/Mg modification. FMM-BC also enhanced the translocation of Fe, Mn, and Mg within rice plants, thereby modifying internal As transport dynamics and suppressing its accumulation in aboveground tissues. Under FMM-BC treatment, arsenic content in pakchoi stems and leaves decreased to 1.19 mg∙kg−1 (vs. 1.96 mg∙kg−1 in the control), and brown rice declined to 0.27 mg∙kg−1 (vs. 1.49 mg∙kg−1 in the control)—well below the national food safety threshold (0.35 mg∙kg−1). These findings demonstrate that FMM-BC effectively stabilizes As in contaminated soils and reduces its transfer to edible plant parts, with Fe/Mn/Mg playing a key role in enhancing As immobilization and limiting its mobility within the soil–plant system.