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Influence of washing parameters on biomass and biochar properties of empty fruit bunches from oil palm plantation

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Abstract

This study examines the effects of washing pretreatments on the chemical characteristics of biomass and the resultant biochar derived from empty fruit bunches (EFBs) of palm oil plantations. We optimized parameters such as washing duration, techniques, and water volume to improve biochar quality. Following the washing pretreatment, the EFBs were subjected to slow pyrolysis at 500 °C for 2 h under a nitrogen atmosphere. In-depth analyses employing techniques like X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTG), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) demonstrated profound changes in the EFB biomass and biochar structure and composition. Specifically, the sample L-EFB4, soaked in water for 72 h, showed a 67.08% reduction in ash content and a significant decrease in potassium content, enhancing the biochar’s potential applications. The fixed carbon content increased to 17.06 wt.% in the L-EFB3 sample, representing EFBs soaked for 30 min, indicating the effectiveness of targeted washing treatments in optimising biochar properties. Additionally, ICP-MS analysis of the EFB leachate provided insights into the elemental solubility, revealing high concentrations of potassium (72,871.9 ppb), demonstrating its solubility and the leaching process’ effectiveness. This analysis further corroborated the significant role of pretreatment in modifying the ash characteristics, which is crucial for optimizing the combustion behavior of the resultant biochar.

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Acknowledgements

Appreciation is extended to the Energy Laboratory at the School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), the Faculty of Science and Mathematics at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), and the Department of Physical & Earth Sciences at Crawford University, Igbesa, Nigeria for their support.

Funding

The Ministry of Higher Education funded this study through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), project code FRGS/1/2019STG05/USM/02/7, and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Nigeria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energy Laboratory, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia

    M. D. Nurhafizah, O. O. Akinnawo & N. Abdullah

  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia

    A. B. Suriani

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  1. M. D. Nurhafizah
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Contributions

M. D. Nurhafizah: conceptualization, writing—original draft, funding acquisition, and supervision. O. O. Akinnawo: data curation and investigation. N. Abdullah: methodology, resources, writing—review and editing. A. B. Suriani: Raman formal analysis.

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Correspondence to M. D. Nurhafizah.

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Highlights.

• Enhanced biochar quality: targeted washing pretreatments significantly improve the chemical properties of biochar from palm oil EFBs.

• Reduction in non-carbon elements: achieved a 67.08% reduction in ash and a 94.5% decrease in potassium levels, enhancing biochar utility.

• Increased energy recovery potential: optimized processes raised the high heating value of biochar from 20.98 to 25.39 MJ/kg.

• Comprehensive characterization: employed advanced techniques like XRF, XRD, and ICP-MS to analyze structural and compositional changes.

• Sustainable applications: demonstrated the biochar’s potential in soil amendment, pollution control, and energy production.

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Nurhafizah, M.D., Akinnawo, O.O., Abdullah, N. et al. Influence of washing parameters on biomass and biochar properties of empty fruit bunches from oil palm plantation. Biomass Conv. Bioref. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-024-05830-9

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