Search

A three-dimensional (3D) flower-like zero-valent bimetallic shell/core iron/copper/biochar composite (NZVI/Cu0/BC) was synthesized for the purpose of removing antibiotic metronidazole (MNZ) through the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Under optimal conditions, complete removal of MNZ (10 mg/L) was achieved within 6 min. The study quantitatively investigated the contribution of different participants in the complex system, including carbon composites, Fe and Cu species, and radicals and nonradicals. Based on the characterization and analysis data, possible activation mechanisms were proposed, which involved the oxygenated functional groups of BC and the bimetallic structure feature of NZVI/Cu0 accelerating the generation of 1O2 and other oxidation species. Additionally, the synergistic effect of Cu-Fe-BC facilitated the redox cycle of Cu2+/Cu+ and Fe3+/Fe2+, thereby promoting radical in the NZVI/Cu0/BC-3/PMS system. Notably, NZVI/Cu0/BC-3 has the advantages of wide pH usable range as well as broad-spectrum adaptability towards various organic pollutant and various water environments. Density functional theory (DFT) results indicated that the adsorption energy of PMS onto NZVI/Cu0/BC was more negative compared to their individual adsorption energies, and the O-O bond in the structure of PMS molecules became weaker after adsorption, resulting in improved efficiency of PMS activation. Liquid chromatograph combined with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) measurement and DFT calculation suggested three main degradation pathways of MNZ, and the toxicities of their intermediates were evaluated. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Rapid industrial development has led to the use of numerous dyes responsible for significant water pollution worldwide. Adsorbents have been developed to treat these waters, mainly in the form of activated biochar, which has several advantages, one of which is its good surface characteristics, such as high surface area and pore volume. The objective of the investigation was to analyze the efficiency of removing the methylene blue model dye in aqueous solutions through the adsorption process using biochar chemically activated from the leaf and stem of water hyacinth (Eichhornio crassipes) as a bioadsorbent. This study carbonized the stem and leaf containing zinc chloride at 600 °C. The materials were characterized by different techniques and were tested for their ability to adsorb methylene blue. The activated stem and leaf biochars removed approximately 285.71 and 322.58 mg g−1 of the dye, respectively, indicating that the adsorption is more significant in the leaf. Pseudo-second-order kinetics was the most suitable model to describe dye adsorption on biochars, and the experimental isotherm data fit the Langmuir model. It is concluded that the application of activated water hyacinth biochar is a renewable resource with the potential for effluent treatment

The transferability of excess wasted organic materials, such as agricultural and forestry residues into materials like biochar and compost, to be used as a nutrient-rich organic soil amendment for food production has been viewed as an ecological approach to enhance soil ecosystem services. In this dissertation a variety of research techniques and experiments were used to investigate the effects of different locally produced biochar and also biochar dairy manure co-composts on soil hydrological properties, GHG emissions, nitrogen leaching, and crop productivity. The dissertation is divided into three main research chapters. In the first chapter, we generated moisture retention curves for seven biochar derived from wasted orchard materials e.g. almond shell, walnut shell, and almond pruning, using a mobile pyrolizer unit. More specifically, we used the water sorption film approach to determine specific surface area for the different biochar and incorporated the data into a model to assess its influence on soil moisture content. Additionally, three of the biochar (one from each feedstock) were also selected and used in two 109 days incubation studies to investigate biochar influence on soil respiration under different moisture levels. In the second chapter, numerical simulation was performed (5-years impact) on the three selected biochar to assess its impacts on soil hydrological properties and plant uptake dynamic for common cropping systems with dissimilar irrigation practices. Lastly, in the third chapter the three selected biochar were co-composted with fresh dairy manure for 45 days then used as soil amendment in a 133 day outdoor soil-tomato column study. Leaf chlorophyll content, canopy coverage, and GHG measurements were taken throughout the season as proxy for crop productivity and soil emissions as influenced by soil treatments. Results from chapter one show that walnut shell biochar has the greatest surface area while almond shell derived biochar has the most positive effect on moisture retention and soil respiration. Next, our 5-years numerical simulation shows that application of biochar at 5% enhanced water conservation by reducing seasonal soil evaporation loss and allowing for more root water uptake. However this positive effect varied between cropping systems and is substantially greater in the rainfed compared to irrigated system. In the last chapter, results from our soil-tomato study show greater positive effect on soil ecosystem services e.g. nitrogen retention and crop productivity, from biochar-dairy manure co-compost soil treatments compared to the control. However crop yield was constrained by external factors such as plant water stress.

Biochar is obtained by the pyrolysis of biomass, and contains abundant carbon and minerals. Biochar supplementation of soils can greatly improve soil health and quality, but these beneficial effects typically develop slowly over time. Depending on the quality of the biochar and the soil to which it is applied, it may take years before positive effects are apparent. This is because organic substances are slowly sorbed onto the biochar over time, and the biochar eventually becomes part of the sorption complex of the soil. It is therefore advisable to apply biochar together with some organic material. We examined the effect of co-application of different doses of biochar with manure on soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA), soil oxidizable carbon (COX), cumulative soil respiration, soil buffering capacity, the soil exchange reaction (pH/KCl), and the production yield of winter rape seeds. We also determined seed production when artificial granular fertilizers were added to biochar and manure. The results showed that the application of biochar and manure significantly increased grain yield, DHA, the soil exchange reaction, and cumulative respiration. Thus application of biochar with organic material can increase seed yield and some properties of agricultural soils. However, the positive effect of biochar on seed yield was not directly proportional to biochar dose, in that the seed yield was lower for a biochar dose of 45 t/ha than 30 t/ha.

Food waste and crude glycerol were anaerobically co-digested for 100 days at 52 +/- 1 degrees C with an organic loading rate of 1.0 g L-1 d(-1). This long-term thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) system encountered severe inhibition from volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The study investigated the impacts of re-inoculation (RI) and biochar addition (BA) on this AD process, and monitored the variation of pH, VFAs, total alkalinity and total ammonia nitrogen during treatment. RI treatment was effective in the short term by recovering reactivity after inhibited sludge was mixed 1:1 with active inoculant. In the long term, RI could not reverse process imbalance and finally failed on day 56. Superior performance in methane production and process stability was observed in BA reactors when compared with control and RI reactors. Overall, the biochar contributed to alkalinity and facilitated the activation of methanogenesis and stimulated the conversion of VFAs.

The utilization of coconut shells as fuel still has several obstacles, including non-uniform size, low heating value, and low density. Pyrolysis of coconut shells into biochar is used to increase the calorific value and minimize the formation of smoke when burning. Biochar briquetting is needed to increase energy density and uniform size. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the type of binder and the concentration on the characteristics of biochar briquettes. The binder used were molasses, cow manure, and horse manure. Molasses is most suitable for use as a binder because it has sticky properties and sufficient moisture content. The ratio of biochar: molasses 70:30 produces briquettes with the best characteristics. In the drop test with a height of 1 m and 1.8 m, biochar briquettes with molasses binder still have 99% size stability.

Biomass is predominantly the major source of energy in the global south. It is the readily available source of energy in global south and is used in rural energy households in the form of wood, charcoal and agricultural residues. However, biomass energy source is not utilised in the most efficient way and hence there is still a gap in achieving the SDG 7 target. The growing global population has increased the global demand of energy and other basic resources like water and food. But also, has resulted in increased need of sanitation services which are not readily provided to rural communities....., Sanitary Engineering

Application of biochar to landfill cover soils can purportedly improve methane (CH4) oxidation rates, but understanding the combined effects of soil texture, compaction, and biochar on the activity and composition of the methanotrophs is limited. The amendment of wood biochar on two differently textured landfill cover soils at three compaction levels of the Proctor density was explored by analyzing changes in soil physical properties relevant to methane oxidation, the effects on CH4 oxidation rates, and the composition of the methanotrophic community. Loose soils with and without biochar were pre-incubated to equally elevate the CH4 oxidation rates. Hereafter, soils were compacted and re-incubated. Methane oxidation rates, gas diffusivity, water retention characteristics, and pore size distribution were analyzed on the compacted soils. The relative abundance of methanotrophic bacteria (MOB) was determined at the end of both the pre-incubation and incubation tests of the packed samples. Biochar significantly increased porosity at all compaction levels, enhancing diffusion coefficients. Also, a re-distribution in pore sizes was observed. Increased gas diffusivity from low compaction and amendment of biochar, though, did not reflect higher methane oxidation rates due to high diffusive oxygen fluxes over the limited height of the compacted soil specimens. All soils, with and without biochar, were strongly dominated by Type II methanotrophs. In the sandy soil, biochar amendment strongly increased MOB abundance, which could be attributed to a corresponding increase in the relative abundance of Methylocystis species, while no such response was observed in the clayey soil. Compaction did not change the community composition in either soil. Fir-wood biochar addition to landfill cover soils may not always enhance methanotrophic activity and hence reduce fugitive methane emissions, with the effect being soil-specific. However, especially in finer and more compacted soils, bioc, Geo-engineering, Large Scale Energy Storage, Pattern Recognition and Bioinformatics

Biochar-stable, solid, carbon rich material has gained interest in the last decades as a versatile material for waste reduction whose applications in various fields can increase the efficacy of the circular economy. Biochar has demonstrated possibilities in the field of reducing negative environmental impact of different process, positive effects on climate change and sustainable energy support. All of this is connected to the biochar’s intrinsic properties, impacted by certain variables such as feedstock type, pyrolysis conditions, materials modifications etc. Biochar and its application onto soil is a typical example on how waste resources are upcycled to make a material which can be further used towards environment improvement. This paper describes some of the possible uses of biochar, with special accent paid on its beneficial application onto the soil.

Polluted sediments with organic pollutants like PAHs represent a potential danger to environment, human health and potential obstacle to water management. Removal of polluted sediment provides the potential for reuse of nutrients from sediment, for crop production or for materials in building industry. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of using hard wood biochar for the immobilization of bioaccessible polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in historically polluted sediment. The main question is would carbon materials' presence (in this case biochar) have influence on PAH bioavailability and their stability in sediment. This is important because the world trend is to go for sediment reuse in agriculture purposes, and biochar is proven to be good amendment for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization and increasing soil carbon stock. The manuscript provides a detailed consideration of the supersorption performance of the biochar and PAH sequestration in different types of PAHs with aging period up to 6 months in ex situ treatment. The efficiency of biochar to sequester the PAHs was evaluated by assessing the bioavailable fraction (Frap) using desorption method with Amberlite XAD4 resin assistance. In untreated sediment, Frap ranged from 22% up to 42% for 2–4 rings, and around 9% for 5–6 rings PAHs. 180-days amendment of biochar led to a further decrease in the bioavailable portion of PAHs. The results of this laboratory study shown that biochar produced from hard wood gave promising results for binding and further stabilizing PAH in historically polluted sediments.

In this work, several binding gels were successfully prepared in Diffusive Gradient in Thin-film (DGT) that targeted the inclusion of novel biomass-derived materials for the determination of the labile fraction of mercury (Hg) in water. First, five biomass-derived materials were tested and the descending order as a function of the average percentage of Hg removal in solution was feathers > biochar > cork > canola meal > rice husk. The best two materials were treated and pulverized into powder to be embedded in a hydrogel; and so, feathers were pyrolyzed preserving the sulfur contained in their keratin structure (FBC), and biochar (BC) was modified and pyrolyzed with sublimated sulfur (SBC) to increase the Hg sorption sites in its structure. Analysis by Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry confirmed that the different pyrolysis procedures increased sulfur absorption successfully. The efficiency of the new gels (BC, SBC and FBC) in agarose was evaluated by comparative Hg uptake tests, showing a larger efficacy in the following order: SBC > BC > FBC. To assess the suitability of their application in freshwater environments, novel DGT devices were also evaluated to determine their diffusion coefficients (D). This test was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, with particular focus on the potential competence of trace elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cd and As), which are commonly present in natural waters affected by mining. A stronger linear relationship between the Hg uptake by binding layers and the deployment time were obtained for the DGT devices with SBC (R2 = 0.948) vs. BC (R2 = 0.885). Therefore, the D obtained for Hg were 8.94 × 10-6 cm2 s-1 for DGT-SBC and 5.12 × 10-6 cm2 s-1 for DGT-BC devices at 25 °C, both within the same order of magnitude reported by previous studies. The good performance obtained by DGT-SBC devices is a promising result and indicates the potential for valorization of waste materials in the DGT technique.

This study is essential for assessing the binding capacity of Prosopis wood biochar to commonly used herbicides, Pretilachlor and Pendimethalin. Understanding their sorption dynamics at varying biochar application rates and exposure times is crucial for sustainable and effective herbicide management in intensively farming agricultural fields and for reducing environmental contamination. The Prosopis wood biochar was produced in an earthen kiln at 300-350°C. The batch experiment was conducted to study the sorption potential of biochar additions at rates of 0, 5, and 10 t ha-1. The herbicides were added to the homogenized soil-biochar mixes at zero, whole, twice, and four times the recommended dose. The sorption of the herbicides by soil biochar mixture was studied for 12 and 24 hours. The result showed that Pendimethalin sorption increased with biochar application rate, requiring 24 hours for 95% sorption at 4X dose without biochar (77.95 mg/kg soil) and 12 hours with 10 t/ha biochar (75.82 mg/kg soil). The Kd value increased with biochar application (0.57-77.95 mg/kg soil) and decreased with pendimethalin application (77.95-3.04 mg/kg soil). Maximum sorption (95%) was attained within 12 hours for 1X and 2X rates and 24 hours for 4X rates when biochar was added. This demonstrated that although pendimethalin residue in the soil can be immobilized by adding biochar within 8 hours at lower rates, more than 24 hours were required when pendimethalin was applied at higher rates or repeatedly. Biochar can be used to reduce pendimethalin leaching in agricultural fields, especially sodic soils, at higher application rates.

Environmental issues stemming from the rapid growth in global energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions require urgent resolutions. Biomass represents a viable alternative for displacing fossil fuels, as its energy can be converted into electricity, heat, fuels, and chemical precursors, thus substituting petrochemicals. It is also the only carbon-containing renewable resource with substantial potential to mitigate environmental degradation, attain carbon-negative emissions, and drive sustainable development. Syngas production from biomass pyrolysis and in-line catalytic upgrading has attracted an increased attention, since it is a promising approach for further generating renewable bio-fuels, bio-chemicals, and bio-materials. Hydrogen isolated from bio-syngas is a clean and promising secondary energy source and carrier, capable of advancing a carbon-free energy system across technological, economic, and societal dimensions. This dissertation aims to realize a full valorization of biomass into renewable and affordable hydrogen-rich syngas and carbon-based battery anodes (hard carbons) through pyrolysis and in-line catalytic upgrading using biochar as the core of the catalyst strategy. Biochar, a carbon-enriched solid material with a carbon-neutral nature, emerges as a promising catalyst for promoting volatile upgrading owing to its extensively functionalized surface, porous structure, and resistance to coke deactivation. Optimization of the catalyst strategy using biochar-based catalysts in the catalytic upgrading process to enhance syngas quality is critical for scaling up the proposed process. This dissertation first investigated the effect of Ni-based, biochar, cascaded biochar+Ni-based, and engineered biochar catalysts on the catalytic performance in terms of the syngas yield, hydrogen yield, and gas energy conversion efficiency (GECE). Among them, the cascaded biochar+Ni-based catalyst and the Ni-doped biochar (NiBC) catalyst showed the most excellent catalyti, Miljöproblem som uppkommer från den snabba tillväxten av den global energiefterfrågan och koldioxidutsläpp kräver brådskande lösningar. Biomassa representerar ett hållbart alternativ för att ersätta fossila bränslen, eftersom dess energi kan omvandlas till elektricitet, värme, bränslen och kemiska prekursorer och därigenom ersätta petrokemikalier. Det är också den enda existernade kolbaserade förnybara resursen och som har en betydande potential att mildra miljöförstöring, uppnå koldioxidnegativa utsläpp och driva hållbar utveckling. En syngasproduktion från en kombinerad pyrolys av biomassa och en katalytisk uppgradering har attraherat ökad uppmärksamhet, eftersom det är ett övertygande tillvägagångssätt för att generera förnybara biodrivmedel, biokemikalier och biomaterial. Vätgas som isolerats från bio-syngas utgör en ren och lovande sekundär energikälla och bärare som kan främja ett kolfritt energisystem med avseende på teknologiska, ekonomiska och samhälleliga dimensioner. Denna avhandling syftar till att förverkliga en fullständig värdering av biomassa till förnybart och prisvärt väte-rik syngas och kolbaserade batterianoder (hårdkol) genom att använda pyrolys i kombnination med en katalytisk uppgradering där biokol används som kärnan i katalysstrategin. Biokol, som är ett kolberikat fast material med en koldioxidneutral natur, framstår som en lovande katalysator för att främja en uppgradering av flyktiga komponenter på grund av dess omfattande funktionaliserade yta, porösa struktur och motståndskraft mot kokning. En optimering av katalysatorstrategin med biokolbaserade katalysatorer i den katalytiska uppgraderingsprocessen för att förbättra syngaskvaliteten är avgörande och grundläggande för att skala upp den föreslagna processen. Denna avhandling undersökte först effekten av användandet av Ni-baserade, biokol, kaskad biokol+Ni-baserad och ingenjörskonstruerade biokolkatalysatorer på den katalytiska prestandan med avseende på syngasutbyte, väteutbyte och eff

The global Sustainable Development Goals highlight the necessity for affordable and clean energy, designated as SDG7. A sustainable and feasible biorefinery concept is proposed for the carbon-negative utilization of biomass waste for affordable H2 and battery anode material production. Specifically, an innovative tandem biocarbon + NiAlO + biocarbon catalyst strategy is constructed to realize a complete reforming of biomass pyro-vapors into H2+CO (as a mixture). The solid residues from pyrolysis are upgraded into high-quality hard carbon (HCs), demonstrating potential as sodium ion battery (SIBs) anodes. The product, HC-1600-6h, exhibited great electrochemical performance when employed as (SIBs) anodes (full cell: 263 Wh/kg with ICE of 89%). Ultimately, a comprehensive process is designed, simulated, and evaluated. The process yields 75 kg H2, 169 kg HCs, and 891 kg captured CO2 per ton of biomass achieving approx. 100% carbon and hydrogen utilization efficiencies. A life cycle assessment estimates a biomass valorization process with negative-emissions (−0.81 kg CO2/kg-biomass, reliant on Sweden wind electricity). A techno-economic assessment forecasts a notably profitable process capable of co-producing affordable H2 and hard carbon battery anodes. The payback period of the process is projected to fall within two years, assuming reference prices of 13.7 €/kg for HCs and 5 €/kg for H2. The process contributes to a novel business paradigm for sustainable and commercially viable biorefinery process, achieving carbon-negative valorization of biomass waste into affordable energy and materials., QC 20231106

Environmental issues stemming from the rapid growth in global energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions require urgent resolutions. Biomass represents a viable alternative for displacing fossil fuels, as its energy can be converted into electricity, heat, fuels, and chemical precursors, thus substituting petrochemicals. It is also the only carbon-containing renewable resource with substantial potential to mitigate environmental degradation, attain carbon-negative emissions, and drive sustainable development. Syngas production from biomass pyrolysis and in-line catalytic upgrading has attracted an increased attention, since it is a promising approach for further generating renewable bio-fuels, bio-chemicals, and bio-materials. Hydrogen isolated from bio-syngas is a clean and promising secondary energy source and carrier, capable of advancing a carbon-free energy system across technological, economic, and societal dimensions. This dissertation aims to realize a full valorization of biomass into renewable and affordable hydrogen-rich syngas and carbon-based battery anodes (hard carbons) through pyrolysis and in-line catalytic upgrading using biochar as the core of the catalyst strategy. Biochar, a carbon-enriched solid material with a carbon-neutral nature, emerges as a promising catalyst for promoting volatile upgrading owing to its extensively functionalized surface, porous structure, and resistance to coke deactivation. Optimization of the catalyst strategy using biochar-based catalysts in the catalytic upgrading process to enhance syngas quality is critical for scaling up the proposed process. This dissertation first investigated the effect of Ni-based, biochar, cascaded biochar+Ni-based, and engineered biochar catalysts on the catalytic performance in terms of the syngas yield, hydrogen yield, and gas energy conversion efficiency (GECE). Among them, the cascaded biochar+Ni-based catalyst and the Ni-doped biochar (NiBC) catalyst showed the most excellent catalyti, Miljöproblem som uppkommer från den snabba tillväxten av den global energiefterfrågan och koldioxidutsläpp kräver brådskande lösningar. Biomassa representerar ett hållbart alternativ för att ersätta fossila bränslen, eftersom dess energi kan omvandlas till elektricitet, värme, bränslen och kemiska prekursorer och därigenom ersätta petrokemikalier. Det är också den enda existernade kolbaserade förnybara resursen och som har en betydande potential att mildra miljöförstöring, uppnå koldioxidnegativa utsläpp och driva hållbar utveckling. En syngasproduktion från en kombinerad pyrolys av biomassa och en katalytisk uppgradering har attraherat ökad uppmärksamhet, eftersom det är ett övertygande tillvägagångssätt för att generera förnybara biodrivmedel, biokemikalier och biomaterial. Vätgas som isolerats från bio-syngas utgör en ren och lovande sekundär energikälla och bärare som kan främja ett kolfritt energisystem med avseende på teknologiska, ekonomiska och samhälleliga dimensioner. Denna avhandling syftar till att förverkliga en fullständig värdering av biomassa till förnybart och prisvärt väte-rik syngas och kolbaserade batterianoder (hårdkol) genom att använda pyrolys i kombnination med en katalytisk uppgradering där biokol används som kärnan i katalysstrategin. Biokol, som är ett kolberikat fast material med en koldioxidneutral natur, framstår som en lovande katalysator för att främja en uppgradering av flyktiga komponenter på grund av dess omfattande funktionaliserade yta, porösa struktur och motståndskraft mot kokning. En optimering av katalysatorstrategin med biokolbaserade katalysatorer i den katalytiska uppgraderingsprocessen för att förbättra syngaskvaliteten är avgörande och grundläggande för att skala upp den föreslagna processen. Denna avhandling undersökte först effekten av användandet av Ni-baserade, biokol, kaskad biokol+Ni-baserad och ingenjörskonstruerade biokolkatalysatorer på den katalytiska prestandan med avseende på syngasutbyte, väteutbyte och eff

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic metal, occurring in municipal wastewater and stormwater as well as in wastewater from various industries. Char derived from the pyrolysis of municipal sewage sludge has the potential to be a low-cost sorption media for the removal of Cd. However, the balance between possible local char production and demand has not been assessed previously. In this study, the Cd sorption capacities of chars derived from primary (PSC) and secondary sludge (DSC), as well as the feasibility of char production for Cd sorbent purposes, and the pyrolysis energy balance were evaluated. Results showed that the sorption capacity of PSC (9.1 mg/g; 800 degrees C, 70 min) was superior to that of DSC (6.0 mg/g; 800 degrees C, 70 min), and increased with a higher pyrolysis temperature. Pyrolysis of primary sludge had a more favourable energy balance compared with the pyrolysis of digested sludge, however, when accounting for loss of biogas production the energy balance of primary sludge pyrolysis was negative. Assessment of the regional demand (V & auml;ster & aring;s, Sweden) indicated that PSC or DSC may cover the local Cd sorbent demand. However, it was estimated that large char volumes would be required, thus making the use of DSC/PSC less feasible.

The distribution of inorganic elements between solid and liquid phases during biomass hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a poorly investigated topic despite its importance for process optimization. To fill in this gap, the distribution of inorganic elements and their forms were determined for three agro-food waste feedstocks converted at HTC temperatures of 180, 220, and 260 °C in 12 h. Satisfactory balances were achieved, with values between 80 and 92% for C and N, and 80 and 110% for most inorganic elements. At 180 °C, over 90% of P, Mg, Ca, K, Na, and Mn were removed from hydrochars whatever feedstock. At higher temperatures, P, Mg, Ca, and Mn were partly reincorporated into hydrochars (between 7 and 53%), possibly due to the formation of insoluble precipitates, while K and Na remained in the liquid. On the opposite, some minor elements, Cu and Al, remained in the hydrochars, whatever temperature. Si showed different removal behaviors according to feedstock and temperature. These results show the possibility of optimizing the removal of inorganic elements from hydrochars using different temperatures.

Esta tesis procura la optimización del uso del purín porcino como fertilizante orgánico centrándose en tres objetivos: I. Caracterizar el valor agronómico de los purines producidos en Galicia, valorando los principales riesgos asociados a su uso y desarrollando métodos de estimación que permitan al agricultor conocer de forma rápida la riqueza del purín. II. Estudiar las modificaciones del purín a lo largo de su tratamiento en una planta piloto de separación - digestión anaerobia - microfiltración para obtener un digestato utilizable como fertilizante líquido concentrado y agua regenerada. III. Evaluar la eficacia de tratamientos aplicados en la fosa (bioactivador, biochar, H₂SO₄ y FeCl₃) en la reducción de las emisiones gaseosas (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O y NH₃) de los purines durante su almacenamiento y tras la aplicación.

Petroleum and petroleum product exploration, transportation, processing, and burning negatively impact soil ecosystems and cause severe damage. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the performance of microbial electrochemical treatment (MET) in terms of biodegradation and electricity generation with petroleum hydrocarbon-polluted soil by adding rice straw biochar pyrolyzed at 600 °C for different doses of 4%, 8%, and 12% w/w. This study confirmed for the first time that increasing the dose of biochar from 8% to 12% w/w in the anodic chamber of MET led to a decrease in its degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons from 87.8% to 49.2% and its current density from 3.5 A/m2 to 0.5 A/m2 in 20 days. Moreover, the relative abundance of Desulfuromonas and Geobacter, which have been reported to participate in inter-species electron transfer as electroactive bacteria, also decreased from 52.32% to 1.5% and 3.47–1.4%, respectively. This apparent change in primary genera further suggested that biochar content was the core factor reshaping the distribution of the bacterial community. The electrochemical investigation also shows that the redox-active quinone in biochar is responsible for extracellular electron transfer. The results of this study showed that the effectiveness of biochar for the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons using microbial electrochemical treatment depends on the dose of biochar in the soil.

Soil salinity is an important abiotic constraint that affects soil quality and crop productivity and has a direct impact on crop yields. Ensuring the sustainable use of saline soils while maintaining environmental integrity is of utmost importance. To achieve this, it is essential to explore and implement methods that can enhance productivity without causing harm to the ecosystem. In the current study, the effect of biochar, Simultaneous inoculation of biomes (Trichoderma harzanium and Pseudomonas fluorescence) and gypsum on soil properties and growth parameters of chickpea was investigated. Of all treatments, the combination of 75 percent GR + biochar@20t/ha and biome @2kg/ha had the greatest effect on lowering pH (9.32 to 7.61), EC (3.65 to 1.6 dSm-1) and SAR (24.22 to 5.9 Cmolc (+) kg-1). As a result, there was a notable improvement in the length of chickpea shoots and roots as well as the overall production of dry matter.

Increasing the application fields for biochar presents an opportunity to replace fossil-fuel derived products with carbon-neutral biomass. However, to do so successfully the biomass, process requirements, product-use and end-of-life must be appropriately researched and evaluated. In this review biochar applications beyond soil were conceptually mapped and the addition of biochar to produce composites was identified as a niche theme with biodegradable plastics in particular showing promising potential for further development in the context of a circular economy. A meta-analysis of 20 bio-composite characterisation studies found that biochar up to 20 wt % produced from various feed-stocks and under differing pyrolysis conditions can lead to viable, or even biocomposites with improved properties for a number of bio-polymers. A set of recommendations for future biochar-PLA composite characterisations was suggested based on a qualitative evaluation of the publications under review. Due to the foundational nature of the research further biochar characterisation, biodegradation studies and sequential applications for biocomposites were identified as key future topics to evaluate if biochar-biocomposites are a promising application in a low-carbon circular economy.

The application of biochar as a soil amendment has been recognized as an environmentally friendly and highly efficient strategy for restoring the fertility of the soil and increasing agricultural productivity. In this study, the impacts of Senna tora biochar treatments on soil properties and micronutrient availability in the farmlands of Misau, Bauchi State, Nigeria, were investigated. A complete randomized design replicated three times, which included control soil (no biochar/0 day), 30 days, and 60 days of biochar treatments, was adapted based on the fact that incubation time affects biochar application in soil. After treatments, the biochar was removed and the soil samples from each treatment were analyzed for pH, soil bulk density (BD), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic carbon (OC) and micronutrient levels using various analytical methods. The results of the analysis show pH, OC and CEC values increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) from 6.66 to 7.89, 3.40 to 3.90 g/kg and 5.16 to 7.29 cmol/kg respectively, while BD decreased significantly from 1.56 to 1.48 g/cm3 after 60 days of biochar treatment. The levels of Mn, Cu and Zn increased from 188.25 to 286.12 mg/kg, 14.38 to 41.88 mg/kg and 68.63 to 140.19 mg/kg respectively, while levels of Fe decreased from 9460.00 to 4782.73 mg/kg after 60 days of biochar treatments. Application of Senna tora biochar has generally led to a significant improvement in the fertility of the soil. It is therefore recommended that Senna tora biochar be used in the field to demonstrate its practical application.

Biochar is obtained by the pyrolysis of biomass, and contains abundant carbon and minerals. Biochar supplementation of soils can greatly improve soil health and quality, but these beneficial effects typically develop slowly over time. Depending on the quality of the biochar and the soil to which it is applied, it may take years before positive effects are apparent. This is because organic substances are slowly sorbed onto the biochar over time, and the biochar eventually becomes part of the sorption complex of the soil. It is therefore advisable to apply biochar together with some organic material. We examined the effect of co-application of different doses of biochar with manure on soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA), soil oxidizable carbon (COX), cumulative soil respiration, soil buffering capacity, the soil exchange reaction (pH/KCl), and the production yield of winter rape seeds. We also determined seed production when artificial granular fertilizers were added to biochar and manure. The results showed that the application of biochar and manure significantly increased grain yield, DHA, the soil exchange reaction, and cumulative respiration. Thus application of biochar with organic material can increase seed yield and some properties of agricultural soils. However, the positive effect of biochar on seed yield was not directly proportional to biochar dose, in that the seed yield was lower for a biochar dose of 45 t/ha than 30 t/ha., info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Biochar is obtained by the pyrolysis of biomass, and contains abundant carbon and minerals. Biochar supplementation of soils can greatly improve soil health and quality, but these beneficial effects typically develop slowly over time. Depending on the quality of the biochar and the soil to which it is applied, it may take years before positive effects are apparent. This is because organic substances are slowly sorbed onto the biochar over time, and the biochar eventually becomes part of the sorption complex of the soil. It is therefore advisable to apply biochar together with some organic material. We examined the effect of co-application of different doses of biochar with manure on soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA), soil oxidizable carbon (COX), cumulative soil respiration, soil buffering capacity, the soil exchange reaction (pH/KCl), and the production yield of winter rape seeds. We also determined seed production when artificial granular fertilizers were added to biochar and manure. The results showed that the application of biochar and manure significantly increased grain yield, DHA, the soil exchange reaction, and cumulative respiration. Thus application of biochar with organic material can increase seed yield and some properties of agricultural soils. However, the positive effect of biochar on seed yield was not directly proportional to biochar dose, in that the seed yield was lower for a biochar dose of 45 t/ha than 30 t/ha., info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Biochar is obtained by the pyrolysis of biomass, and contains abundant carbon and minerals. Biochar supplementation of soils can greatly improve soil health and quality, but these beneficial effects typically develop slowly over time. Depending on the quality of the biochar and the soil to which it is applied, it may take years before positive effects are apparent. This is because organic substances are slowly sorbed onto the biochar over time, and the biochar eventually becomes part of the sorption complex of the soil. It is therefore advisable to apply biochar together with some organic material. We examined the effect of co-application of different doses of biochar with manure on soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA), soil oxidizable carbon (COX), cumulative soil respiration, soil buffering capacity, the soil exchange reaction (pH/KCl), and the production yield of winter rape seeds. We also determined seed production when artificial granular fertilizers were added to biochar and manure. The results showed that the application of biochar and manure significantly increased grain yield, DHA, the soil exchange reaction, and cumulative respiration. Thus application of biochar with organic material can increase seed yield and some properties of agricultural soils. However, the positive effect of biochar on seed yield was not directly proportional to biochar dose, in that the seed yield was lower for a biochar dose of 45 t/ha than 30 t/ha., info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

India achieved a spectacular growth in agriculture since 1966, but for meeting the needs of current growing population, food grain production has to be increased at least 70 per cent by 2050. Over more the present-day agriculture is challenged to fulfill the objectives of achieving food, fodder, fibre and fuel security as well as environmental sustainability to restoring soil resources, improving water quality and mitigating climate change. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain the threshold level of organic matter for maintaining physical, chemical and biological integrity of the soil and also to perform its agricultural production and environmental functions (Segun and Oladele, 2019). For managing these issues, addition of organic amendments and biochar to mitigate climate change and ensures food production at global scale. Biochar (commonly known as agri char) is a carbon rich product derived from slow pyrolysis process of several kinds of waste biomass. Application of biochar at the rate of 5 t ha-1 favourably influenced the soil bulk density, pH, OC, microbial carbon and CEC in the soil and positive changes in increasing nutrient availability. Further application of biochar may offer additional carbon-negative benefits though avoiding burning in field and bioresource recycling, which have been a great concern with air pollution of Indian agriculture and climate change mitigation (Segun and Oladele. 2019). Application of biochar at low doses (3–6 t/ha) with low rate of nitrogen fertilizer (30 kg/ ha) notably improved N fertilizer use efficiency, grain biomass yield of upland rice and soil physicochemical properties. The results of Snekapriya and Jayachandran (2018) concluded that application of 100 per cent recommended dose of NPK along with 2 t of bio-char + Azospirillium @ 10 kg ha-1 recorded higher benefit cost ratio of 1.96 for sugarcane seed cane production. The digested-enriched biochar treatments significantly improved soil quality as it provided higher soil o

Environmental issues stemming from the rapid growth in global energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions require urgent resolutions. Biomass represents a viable alternative for displacing fossil fuels, as its energy can be converted into electricity, heat, fuels, and chemical precursors, thus substituting petrochemicals. It is also the only carbon-containing renewable resource with substantial potential to mitigate environmental degradation, attain carbon-negative emissions, and drive sustainable development. Syngas production from biomass pyrolysis and in-line catalytic upgrading has attracted an increased attention, since it is a promising approach for further generating renewable bio-fuels, bio-chemicals, and bio-materials. Hydrogen isolated from bio-syngas is a clean and promising secondary energy source and carrier, capable of advancing a carbon-free energy system across technological, economic, and societal dimensions. This dissertation aims to realize a full valorization of biomass into renewable and affordable hydrogen-rich syngas and carbon-based battery anodes (hard carbons) through pyrolysis and in-line catalytic upgrading using biochar as the core of the catalyst strategy. Biochar, a carbon-enriched solid material with a carbon-neutral nature, emerges as a promising catalyst for promoting volatile upgrading owing to its extensively functionalized surface, porous structure, and resistance to coke deactivation. Optimization of the catalyst strategy using biochar-based catalysts in the catalytic upgrading process to enhance syngas quality is critical for scaling up the proposed process. This dissertation first investigated the effect of Ni-based, biochar, cascaded biochar+Ni-based, and engineered biochar catalysts on the catalytic performance in terms of the syngas yield, hydrogen yield, and gas energy conversion efficiency (GECE). Among them, the cascaded biochar+Ni-based catalyst and the Ni-doped biochar (NiBC) catalyst showed the most excellent catalyti, Miljöproblem som uppkommer från den snabba tillväxten av den global energiefterfrågan och koldioxidutsläpp kräver brådskande lösningar. Biomassa representerar ett hållbart alternativ för att ersätta fossila bränslen, eftersom dess energi kan omvandlas till elektricitet, värme, bränslen och kemiska prekursorer och därigenom ersätta petrokemikalier. Det är också den enda existernade kolbaserade förnybara resursen och som har en betydande potential att mildra miljöförstöring, uppnå koldioxidnegativa utsläpp och driva hållbar utveckling. En syngasproduktion från en kombinerad pyrolys av biomassa och en katalytisk uppgradering har attraherat ökad uppmärksamhet, eftersom det är ett övertygande tillvägagångssätt för att generera förnybara biodrivmedel, biokemikalier och biomaterial. Vätgas som isolerats från bio-syngas utgör en ren och lovande sekundär energikälla och bärare som kan främja ett kolfritt energisystem med avseende på teknologiska, ekonomiska och samhälleliga dimensioner. Denna avhandling syftar till att förverkliga en fullständig värdering av biomassa till förnybart och prisvärt väte-rik syngas och kolbaserade batterianoder (hårdkol) genom att använda pyrolys i kombnination med en katalytisk uppgradering där biokol används som kärnan i katalysstrategin. Biokol, som är ett kolberikat fast material med en koldioxidneutral natur, framstår som en lovande katalysator för att främja en uppgradering av flyktiga komponenter på grund av dess omfattande funktionaliserade yta, porösa struktur och motståndskraft mot kokning. En optimering av katalysatorstrategin med biokolbaserade katalysatorer i den katalytiska uppgraderingsprocessen för att förbättra syngaskvaliteten är avgörande och grundläggande för att skala upp den föreslagna processen. Denna avhandling undersökte först effekten av användandet av Ni-baserade, biokol, kaskad biokol+Ni-baserad och ingenjörskonstruerade biokolkatalysatorer på den katalytiska prestandan med avseende på syngasutbyte, väteutbyte och eff

The global Sustainable Development Goals highlight the necessity for affordable and clean energy, designated as SDG7. A sustainable and feasible biorefinery concept is proposed for the carbon-negative utilization of biomass waste for affordable H2 and battery anode material production. Specifically, an innovative tandem biocarbon + NiAlO + biocarbon catalyst strategy is constructed to realize a complete reforming of biomass pyro-vapors into H2+CO (as a mixture). The solid residues from pyrolysis are upgraded into high-quality hard carbon (HCs), demonstrating potential as sodium ion battery (SIBs) anodes. The product, HC-1600-6h, exhibited great electrochemical performance when employed as (SIBs) anodes (full cell: 263 Wh/kg with ICE of 89%). Ultimately, a comprehensive process is designed, simulated, and evaluated. The process yields 75 kg H2, 169 kg HCs, and 891 kg captured CO2 per ton of biomass achieving approx. 100% carbon and hydrogen utilization efficiencies. A life cycle assessment estimates a biomass valorization process with negative-emissions (−0.81 kg CO2/kg-biomass, reliant on Sweden wind electricity). A techno-economic assessment forecasts a notably profitable process capable of co-producing affordable H2 and hard carbon battery anodes. The payback period of the process is projected to fall within two years, assuming reference prices of 13.7 €/kg for HCs and 5 €/kg for H2. The process contributes to a novel business paradigm for sustainable and commercially viable biorefinery process, achieving carbon-negative valorization of biomass waste into affordable energy and materials., QC 20231106

Biochar continues to strengthen its presence in many new industries with its new applications, which are full of scientific and business news. A flurry of activity has sprung up around this carbon-based material, produced from biomass, following its use in water treatment, energy production and animal husbandry. In any new industry, process and product development, as well as feasibility studies, are very important for the product to come to market. This is especially true when it comes to biochar. Besides being in its infancy as an industry, biochar itself presents a number of challenges that make various tests necessary. Many properties affect the quality and performance of biochar products (pore size, cation exchange, electro- conductivity...) and will most likely vary depending on the starting material and the method of obtaining. Biochar can be made from a very long list of biomass materials. Although the above creates opportunities for industries that abound with highly adaptable products, it can still make biochar unpredictable, given that each starting material affects the characteristics of the final products differently.

Growing industrialization and non-renewable resource depletion have a huge impact on alternative clean up technologies development, inducing investigation of the renewable, low-cost waste materials. Recently, lignocellulosic waste biomass, generated at a large scale by different industries, appeared as an attractive feedstock worldwide, due to its abundance, availability, multi-functionality and low cost. Since the fruits production has increasing trend all over the world, generation of lignocellulosic waste such as fruit stones (that represent approximately 1/5 of the total fruit mass) became a great environmental threat. In order to minimize negative impact on the environment, avoid greenhouse gasses emissions and help in resource depletion by its renewable nature, it is necessary to explore its performances regarding its wide application potential. Thermo-chemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass in oxygen limited conditions, in order to get biochar, has received a lot of attention recently. The biochar production requires lower energy inputs and less expensive technology compared to activated carbon (estimation is that production cost of activated carbon are six times higher than biochar costs). In this paper, waste peach stones biomass was effectively converted into biochar at 500 °C under inert (Ar) atmosphere. Pyrolysis was performed in Nabertherm 1300 muffle furnace for residence time of 1.5 h, with a heating rate of 10 °C/min, while Ar was circulated through the sample at a rate of 100 mL/min. The raw biomass (PS) and obtained biochar (PS-B) with particle size 0.1 mm < dp < 0.5 mm, were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and Raman spectrometry to understand physicochemical changes which have been occurred after pyrolysis. SEM analysis revealed the increased surface area due to the visible augmentation of pores and roughness. FTIR analysis showed that many bands present in native biomass c

The continuous rise in global temperatures is an evidence of climate change. CO2 emissions have caused major problems owing to its contribution to climate change. In particular, the construction industry has a considerable carbon footprint. Therefore, investigations into climate change mitigation are indeed a priority. All steps in the construction process, from raw materials preparation to cement production, contribute to CO2 emissions. This can be mitigated to a certain extent by incorporating bio-based constituents into construction materials. However, bio-based materials may negatively affect cement reaction and structural performance, despite their positive environmental impacts. Biochar, a carbon-rich product of biomass pyrolysis, is considered a potential substitute for cement replacement that can enhance structural properties if used in appropriate amounts. Although biochar has conventionally been used as a soil amendment in the agricultural industry, researchers have recently investigated its applicability in concrete. Importantly, the results thus far have reported its contribution to the enhancement of the mechanical, thermal, and physical properties of cement. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the physicochemical properties of biochar added cementitious materials, including the fresh and hardened properties of biochar-cement mixtures considering both environmental and economic aspects.

Microplastics and biochar, as particulate matter that is prevalent in the water environment, will inevitably encounter and interact with each other during environmental aging. The potential interaction of microplastics and biochar, and the associated impact on their environmental behavior remains largely unknown. In this study, we exposed microplastics and biochar concurrently to ultraviolet light to mimic the aging process, investigated the release and fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in water, and analyzed the effects of co-existing microplastics and biochar on their sorption of organic contaminants. We demonstrate that early-stage interactions of microplastics and biochar could entangle to promote the release of DOM from biochar, while their long-term interactions after light irradiation resulted in the sorption of hydrophobic and small molecules of microbial byproduct-like DOM. Simultaneously, early-stage interactions of microplastics and biochar showed a promotion for sorption of organic contaminants with an increase of 5.3–17.7%. After aging, however, long-term interactions between microplastics and biochar made it no longer promote the sorption of organic contaminants due to the influence of heterogeneous aggregation. Our results provide new insights into the time-dependent interactions between microplastics and biochar and highlight the need to incorporate their interactions into future environmental risk assessments for microplastics in the water environment.

When utilised isolation, the phrase 'cost accounting' has no meaning; however, when linked to human effort in the firm, the phrase gains meaning. Cost accounting is a deliberate and rational process used by accountants to accumulate costs1 and relate such costs to specific services or departments for efficient leadership action. Such costs are included in balance sheets and income statements for valuation of stocks and income determination. Cost accounting is a type of accounting for management that attempts to record a company's total cost of manufacturing by assessing the variable costs of each step of manufacture as well as fixed costs, such as a lease expense. Cost accounting is the implementation of accounting and costing concepts, techniques, and approaches to the determination of costs and the analysis of savings or excess costs incurred when compared to prior knowledge or standards. To improve the basis of cost accounting by preparing cost sheets. To provide management with a feasibility report on the labour turnover and overheads incurred by each department. To teach costing methods, i.e., the techniques and processes used to determine cost in various industries and manufacturing activities.

India achieved a spectacular growth in agriculture since 1966, but for meeting the needs of current growing population, food grain production has to be increased at least 70 per cent by 2050. Over more the present-day agriculture is challenged to fulfill the objectives of achieving food, fodder, fibre and fuel security as well as environmental sustainability to restoring soil resources, improving water quality and mitigating climate change. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain the threshold level of organic matter for maintaining physical, chemical and biological integrity of the soil and also to perform its agricultural production and environmental functions (Segun and Oladele, 2019). For managing these issues, addition of organic amendments and biochar to mitigate climate change and ensures food production at global scale. Biochar (commonly known as agri char) is a carbon rich product derived from slow pyrolysis process of several kinds of waste biomass. Application of biochar at the rate of 5 t ha-1 favourably influenced the soil bulk density, pH, OC, microbial carbon and CEC in the soil and positive changes in increasing nutrient availability. Further application of biochar may offer additional carbon-negative benefits though avoiding burning in field and bioresource recycling, which have been a great concern with air pollution of Indian agriculture and climate change mitigation (Segun and Oladele. 2019). Application of biochar at low doses (3–6 t/ha) with low rate of nitrogen fertilizer (30 kg/ ha) notably improved N fertilizer use efficiency, grain biomass yield of upland rice and soil physicochemical properties. The results of Snekapriya and Jayachandran (2018) concluded that application of 100 per cent recommended dose of NPK along with 2 t of bio-char + Azospirillium @ 10 kg ha-1 recorded higher benefit cost ratio of 1.96 for sugarcane seed cane production. The digested-enriched biochar treatments significantly improved soil quality as it provided higher soil o

Ecological restoration with a multispecies and multifunctional approach can accelerate the re-establishment of numerous ecosystem services. The challenges with land that is degraded, damaged, or destroyed post-mining are the low productivity of soil and the high potential for contaminants. Herein, we evaluated the multispecies and multifunctional approach to restoration strategy through a mixture of woody and herbaceous species, microsymbiont and biochar amendments, and plant spacing. The experiments were conducted using greenhouse and field trials located in Quebec, Canada. We used a mixture of tree species (Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC. ssp. crispa (Aiton) Turrill, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, Populus tremuloides Michx. and Salix arbusculoides Andersson) and herbaceous species (Avena sativa L., Festuca rubra L. and Trifolium repens L.) on two types of gold-mine waste materials (fine tailing and waste rock). The biochar amendment and microbial inoculation were applied on both greenhouse and field trials. We found both positive and negative effects of plant spacing, biochar amendment and inoculation depending on their interactions. The net positive effect was shown by combining high plantation density, biochar, and inoculation factors on Alnus viridis ssp. crispa. Overall, plantation density was shown to be the most important factor in generating the net positive effect. We suggest that the mechanism was correlated with the improvement in microclimate through soil plant water conservation and microbial activity enhancement over soil temperature modification. Hence, we propose to put emphasis on microclimate improvement for accelerating the restoration processes, along with other combined factors, including microbial inoculation and biochar amendment.

Driven by the increasing demand for waste reduction and green energy production, an integrated system which combines an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) and a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) was proposed in this research project for blackwater treatment and energy production. The potentials of using an AnMBR for wastewater treatment and biogas production, and the feasibilities of producing energy from biogas with a SOFC have been investigated by many researchers. Although, combining the two equipment might raise new challenges and opportunities. The AnMBR pH has direct impacts on the biogas composition, which would subsequently affect the SOFC operational strategy. Therefore, this research project focused on the influence of the AnMBR pH on the SOFC operational strategy, which would provide insights for connecting AnMBR and SOFC. The AnMBR pH was controlled around 8 initially, and then reduced to 7. The composition of the biogas produced under each pH condition was analyzed before the biogas was conditioned for the SOFC operation. Biochar adsorption and CO2 addition were applied for biogas conditioning. pH 8 was favorable for biochar adsorption, whereas pH 7 was favorable for CO2 addition. The aim of biochar adsorption was to ensure that the H2S concentration remaining in the biogas after adsorption was less than 0.5 ppm, so that sulfur poisoning could be avoided at the anode of SOFC. A biochar column (BC) was attached to the AnMBR for the adsorption of sulfur compounds in the biogas. The BC was packed with biochar made of cow manure. The adsorption capacity of the biochar was measured to determine the amount of biochar required in the BC. After biochar adsorption, the ratio between CH4 and CO2 was balanced by adding CO2 to the biogas, to reduce the risk of carbon deposition at the anode of SOFC. The exhaust gas discharged by the SOFC could also be recycled as an alternative to CO2 addition. The performance of the SOFC system using the conditioned biogas as the fu, Civil Engineering | Structural Engineering

Seasonal variation of soil surface temperature, such as freezing and thawing, can induce increases in the water permeability in clay by mobilizing clay pore structure. This kind of weather-induced change in clay behavior may worsen the water-sealing performance during the construction and after closure operation of engineered structures such as soil barriers for tailings or man-made slopes. There is limited knowledge towards the influence of freezing–thawing cycles on clay microstructure and saturated permeability (Ksat). This study investigated the saturated permeability of clay under freezing–thawing cycles and explored the uses of biochar as eco-friendly amendment to manipulate the permeability of compacted clay. Clay specimens were compacted with different initial water contents (30%, 34%, and 38%). The biochar application rates of 0%, 2%, 4%, 8% (by dry weight) were applied to measure their effects on the permeability of clay specimens. Saturated permeability was measured by the falling head tests. Any variation of biochar amended clay microstructure after freezing–thawing cycles was captured by the scanning electron microscope. The Ksat was reduced by about one order of magnitude when the biochar application rate was larger than 4%. This may be attributed to the increase in the filling of the biochar particles in the clay intra-aggregate pores upon the transport of liquid water during the repeated freezing–thawing processes. The biochar may thus be recommended to minimize the Ksat of geo-environmental structures in cold regions when sufficiently large application rate was used to facilitate the pore-filling process.

Biochar, a type of soil amendment, is widely used in heavy metal–polluted soil. It is also effective in enhancing plant performance. However, how biochar affects the soil heavy metal toxicity considering the plant–soil interactions is not well summarized. Therefore, this paper aims to review and summarize the effects of biochar on heavy metal availability in vegetated unsaturated soil. First, this review summarizes the effects of biochar on key parameters of unsaturated soil, including pore size distribution, water permeability, water retention curve, nutrient cycling and soil biota. Then, the mechanism of biochar for managing heavy metals in soil with vegetation is discussed, with a focus on both physical and biochemical aspects. Additionally, the impact of biochar-induced plant growth on the availability of heavy metals in the plant–soil system is explored. Finally, suggestions for future research and applications of biochar are provided. This paper supplies novel outlooks for further study and practice.

The root tuber of Pinellia ternata has been used as a traditional therapeutic herbal medicine. It is reported to impart beneficial attributes in recovering COVID-19 patients. To meet an increasing demand of P. ternata, this study is intended to investigate the effects of biochar on the soil hydrological and agronomic properties of two decomposed soils (i.e., completely decomposed granite (CDG) and lateritic soil) for the growth of P. ternata. The plant was grown in instrumented pots with different biochar application rate (0%, 3% and 5%) for a period of three months. Peanut shell biochar inclusion in both soils resulted in reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity and increase in soil water retention capacity. These alterations in hydrological properties were attributed to measured change in total porosity, biochar intra pore and hydrophilic functional groups. The macro-nutrient (i.e., N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) concentration of both soils increased substantially, while the pH and cation exchange capacity levels in the amended soils were altered to facilitate optimum growth of P. ternata. The tuber biomass in biochar amended CDG at all amendment rate increases by up to 70%. In case of lateritic soil, the tuber biomass increased by 23% at only 5% biochar application rate. All treatments satisfied the minimum succinic acid concentration required as per pharmacopoeia standard index. The lower tuber biomass exhibits a higher succinic acid concentration regardless of the soil type used to grow P. ternata. The biochar improved the yield and quality of P. ternata in both soils.

UVA and UVB are two main components of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Some studies have reported the impacts of UV irradiation on plant secondary metabolism and plant growth. However, the role of UV irradiation in plant growth and quality in biochar-treated soils is poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the interactive effects of UV irradiation and biochar application on the growth and quality of Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.) Pax, a popular medicinal plant. Three UV irradiation conditions (no UV irradiation, UVA irradiation at 2.5 W/m(2) for 12 h/day and UVB irradiation at 0.05 W/m(2) for 0.5 h/day) were considered in biochar-free and biochar (3%)-amended soils. The non-UV irradiated biochar-treated group exhibited the highest tuber yield. UVA irradiation reduced the yield improvement efficiency of biochar, while under UVB irradiation, biochar treatment reduced the tuber biomass. This were mainly because the application of high-nutrient biochar increased plant sensitivity to UV radiation. The UVA-irradiated group without biochar treatment exhibited the maximum polysaccharide concentration in the tuber, which was 38% higher than that of the control. Biochar application inhibited polysaccharide synthesis under UV treatment. The saponin concentration in the tuber was enhanced by up to 79% under UV (particularly UVB) irradiation. The coupled UVB and biochar treatment significantly enhanced saponin synthesis. These results indicate the interactive effects of UV irradiation and biochar treatment on P. heterophylla. Therefore, biochar amendment without UV irradiation is suggested to improve the tuber yield of P. heterophylla. UVA (2.5 W/m(2) for 12 h/day) treatment is recommended for higher active ingredient concentration. However, the negative effects of UV irradiation on biochar-induced plant growth promotion should be also considered. This research provides a basis for practical large-scale cultivation in the future.

This study comprehensively evaluated the global warming potential of an office building in a newly built Scandinavian neighbourhood seeking to reach sustainability. The primary objective of the research was to support the city authorities of Helsingborg by providing valuable insights into actual carbon emissions at the building level and proposing measures to minimize these emissions to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. Life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations, based on the ZEB (Zero-Emission Building) complete method, were utilized to accomplish these aims. The results were then compared to those of other recently built office buildings with comparable construction specifications. Thereafter, the current gap to carbon neutrality and possible potential for improvement were estimated. The study showed that, compared to similar buildings, the case study building performs better than the average value in carbon emission. With a comprehensive calculation and quantification to assess the climate impact of the study building, the gap to carbon neutrality of this building is about 500 kg CO₂e/m² with the average European emission value for electricity, and about 400 kg CO₂e/m² with the Helsingborg municipality emission value for energy. With the extensive implementation of these measures, the most favourable scenario demonstrated remarkable proximity to the carbon neutrality objective. However, it is essential to observe that the potential for emission reduction is substantially greater when a building is designed to attain carbon neutrality. Building materials contribute significantly to carbon emissions, exceeding the impact of operational energy consumption. A rapid transition away from conventional building materials becomes essential to achieve carbon neutrality. In addition, carbon emissions can be effectively reduced by modifying building systems and materials, especially using biobased materials. However, additional research is necessary to address the complexiti, Building Towards Carbon Neutrality: Bio-Based Material, CO2 Storage and Solar Power Harnessing Introduction: Imagine living in a city that has reached carbon neutrality and even helps fight climate change. That is the ambitious goal of Helsingborg, a Swedish city that wants to become carbon neutral by 2030. To achieve this, the city needs to make sure that its buildings are as green as possible. But how can we measure the environmental impact of a building? And how can we reduce it? A team of researchers from Lund University has tried to answer these questions by studying an average newly built office building in Oceanhamnen, an in-development neighbourhood at Helsingborg, that aims to be sustainable. They used a method called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to calculate how much carbon dioxide, one of the main impactful climate change gas, the building emits during its whole life span, from the extraction of raw materials to the demolition and disposal of waste, and what could have been done in the design process to improve the performance of the building. Structural Modifications for Sustainability The research team significantly emphasised reducing the environmental impact of building materials by exploring various structural modifications to enhance the building's sustainability. Concrete and steel, stone wool insulation and outside glass finish were replaced by biobased material such as Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels, straw insulation and outside wood finish. These modifications could have reduced the carbon footprint associated with the building’s construction and ensured a more eco-friendly future throughout the building’s lifespan. Solar Panels: A Green Energy Solution Maximising local electricity production by harnessing clean and renewable energy was also considered by integrating solar panels into the building's design. Researchers aimed to offset a substantial portion of Prisma's energy needs. The power generated by these panels is considered carbon-fre

This study comprehensively evaluated the global warming potential of an office building in a newly built Scandinavian neighbourhood seeking to reach sustainability. The primary objective of the research was to support the city authorities of Helsingborg by providing valuable insights into actual carbon emissions at the building level and proposing measures to minimize these emissions to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. Life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations, based on the ZEB (Zero-Emission Building) complete method, were utilized to accomplish these aims. The results were then compared to those of other recently built office buildings with comparable construction specifications. Thereafter, the current gap to carbon neutrality and possible potential for improvement were estimated. The study showed that, compared to similar buildings, the case study building performs better than the average value in carbon emission. With a comprehensive calculation and quantification to assess the climate impact of the study building, the gap to carbon neutrality of this building is about 500 kg CO₂e/m² with the average European emission value for electricity, and about 400 kg CO₂e/m² with the Helsingborg municipality emission value for energy. With the extensive implementation of these measures, the most favourable scenario demonstrated remarkable proximity to the carbon neutrality objective. However, it is essential to observe that the potential for emission reduction is substantially greater when a building is designed to attain carbon neutrality. Building materials contribute significantly to carbon emissions, exceeding the impact of operational energy consumption. A rapid transition away from conventional building materials becomes essential to achieve carbon neutrality. In addition, carbon emissions can be effectively reduced by modifying building systems and materials, especially using biobased materials. However, additional research is necessary to address the complexiti, Building Towards Carbon Neutrality: Bio-Based Material, CO2 Storage and Solar Power Harnessing Introduction: Imagine living in a city that has reached carbon neutrality and even helps fight climate change. That is the ambitious goal of Helsingborg, a Swedish city that wants to become carbon neutral by 2030. To achieve this, the city needs to make sure that its buildings are as green as possible. But how can we measure the environmental impact of a building? And how can we reduce it? A team of researchers from Lund University has tried to answer these questions by studying an average newly built office building in Oceanhamnen, an in-development neighbourhood at Helsingborg, that aims to be sustainable. They used a method called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to calculate how much carbon dioxide, one of the main impactful climate change gas, the building emits during its whole life span, from the extraction of raw materials to the demolition and disposal of waste, and what could have been done in the design process to improve the performance of the building. Structural Modifications for Sustainability The research team significantly emphasised reducing the environmental impact of building materials by exploring various structural modifications to enhance the building's sustainability. Concrete and steel, stone wool insulation and outside glass finish were replaced by biobased material such as Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels, straw insulation and outside wood finish. These modifications could have reduced the carbon footprint associated with the building’s construction and ensured a more eco-friendly future throughout the building’s lifespan. Solar Panels: A Green Energy Solution Maximising local electricity production by harnessing clean and renewable energy was also considered by integrating solar panels into the building's design. Researchers aimed to offset a substantial portion of Prisma's energy needs. The power generated by these panels is considered carbon-fre

The upkeep and rehabilitation of infrastructure damage related to the shrinking and swelling of expansive soils have cost the United States billions of dollars. Biochar, an innovative and eco-friendly additive proven to improve soil permeability, nutrient retention, and mechanical properties, is investigated as an additive to Mississippi chalk. The index properties of the chalk were determined and used to characterize its nature. The geotechnical engineering properties of the chalk amended with 6% and 12% biochar were evaluated via the Proctor compaction, compression, and direct shear tests. Results were analyzed to make comparative remarks on how the behavior of the chalk evolved with biochar percentage. The chalk’s compactibility, compressibility, and shear strength increased as the biochar percentage increased. Overall, the cohesion coefficient decreased while the friction angle increased with increasing biochar percentage. The increased shear strength of biochar-amended soil is a promising observation of biochar's potential as a construction material in geo-transportation projects. Further investigation is warranted to look for ways to alleviate biochar's adverse effects on chalk's compression.