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Biochar physicochemical parameters as a result of feedstock material and pyrolysis temperature: predictable for the fate of biochar in soil?

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Abstract

Biochar application is a widely investigated topic nowadays, and precisely described biochar parameters are key information for the understanding of its behaviour in soil and other media. Pore structure and surface properties determine biochar fate. However, there is lack of complex, investigative studies describing the influence of biomass properties and pyrolysis conditions on the pore structure of biochars. The aim of our study was to evaluate a wide range of gathered agriculture residues and elevated pyrolysis temperature on the biochar surface properties and pore composition, predicting biochar behaviour in the soil. The biomass of herbaceous and wood plants was treated by slow pyrolysis, with the final temperature ranging from 400 to 600 °C. Specific surface ranged from 124 to 511 cm2 g−1 at wood biochar and from 3.19 to 192 cm2 g−1 at herbaceous biochar. The main properties influencing biochar pore composition were increasing pyrolysis temperatures and lignin (logarithmically) and ash contents (linearly) of biomass. Increasing lignin contents and pyrolysis temperatures caused the highest biochar micropore volume. The total biochar pore volume was higher of wood biomass (0.08–0.3 cm−3 g−1). Biochars of wood origin were characterised by skeletal density ranging from 1.479 to 2.015 cm3 g−1 and herbaceous ones 1.506–1.943 cm3 g−1, and the envelope density reached 0.982 cm3 g−1 at biochar of wheat grain origin and was generally higher at biochars of herbaceous origin. Density was not pyrolysis temperature dependent.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, from CIGA Project No. 20172015 and by Ministry of Agriculture from the project NAZV No. QK1710379.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 160 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Kateřina Břendová, Jiřina Száková & Pavel Tlustoš

  2. Department of Inorganic Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Miloslav Lhotka

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Tereza Krulikovská

  4. Environmental Process Engineering Laboratory, Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 135/1, 165 02, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    Miroslav Punčochář

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  1. Kateřina Břendová
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Correspondence to Pavel Tlustoš.

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Břendová, K., Száková, J., Lhotka, M. et al. Biochar physicochemical parameters as a result of feedstock material and pyrolysis temperature: predictable for the fate of biochar in soil?. Environ Geochem Health 39, 1381–1395 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-0004-9

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