Biochar derived from agricultural wastes and wood residues for sustainable agricultural and environmental applications

Lignocellulosic biomass can be circulated to produce many materials and products, including biochar. This study analyzed five different types of biochar produced from agricultural wastes. The raw materials included three agricultural by-products: corncob, cassava rhizome, rice husk, and two types of wood residues: rain tree (Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.) and krachid (Streblus ilicifolius (Vidal) Corner.). The biochar were made in patented retorts with locally-appropriated technology at a temperature range of 450–500°C. This research focuses on the primary physicochemical properties and biochar components, allowing biochar to become a vital material to support sustainable agriculture and the environment. Biochar properties used for agriculture consist of specific surface area, total pore volume, average pore diameter, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The properties that benefit the environmental purposes are the element: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and the molar ratio of H/C, O/C, and C/N. The study found that all five types of biochar contained suitable properties for soil amendment and carbon sequestration. However, significant differences were shown in specific surface area, average pore diameter, pH, CEC, and EC of various biochar. Based on O/C and H/C ratios, all five types of biochar persisted in soil from 100 to over 1,000 years.