Thermochemical processing of agricultural waste into biochar with potential application for coal mining degraded soils
This study presents a comprehensive physicochemical characterization of biochar obtained from sorghum, soybean, and corn residues (stems and leaves) grown on degraded soils in Romania's coal mining region, through pyrolysis and gasification processes at 700 °C - 1000 °C. The investigation revea...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Results in Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025015671 |
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| Summary: | This study presents a comprehensive physicochemical characterization of biochar obtained from sorghum, soybean, and corn residues (stems and leaves) grown on degraded soils in Romania's coal mining region, through pyrolysis and gasification processes at 700 °C - 1000 °C. The investigation revealed that corn-derived biochars exhibited the highest carbon content (up to 41 wt. %) and potassium concentrations, supporting superior chemical stability, while soybean-derived biochars showed highly alkaline profiles (pH up to 11.7) due to elevated Ca and Mg levels, making them ideal candidates for ameliorating acidic soils. Sorghum-derived biochar demonstrated a high lignin-based aromatic structure and porosity beneficial for improving soil structure. Thermogravimetric analysis established a direct correlation between process temperature and mass loss behavior, confirming greater structural densification at higher temperatures. FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy showed progressive deoxygenation and condensation of aromatic structures, with an average ID/IG ratio of 0.856 and crystallite size (La) reaching 14.63 nm. Nitrogen adsorption analysis confirmed the development of micro- and mesoporosity, with specific surface areas up to 285.23 m²/g for corn biochar at 800 °C, highlighting its potential suitability for nutrient retention and water management. The H/C atomic ratio (0.08 - 0.31) indicated advanced carbonization stages, and Van Krevelen analysis predicted half-lives exceeding 100 to over 1000 years for the most stable biochars. These findings provide theoretical insights into optimizing biochar production from energy crops specifically grown on degraded soils, aiming to enhance soil resilience, carbon sequestration, and environmental remediation, thus offering a sustainable strategy aligned with phytoremediation and climate mitigation objectives, without performing field testing. |
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| ISSN: | 2590-1230 |