Assessment of Biomass and Biochar of Maritime Pine as a Porous Medium for Water Retention in Soils

Abstract

Pinewood biomass in Portugal can be considered a major source of biochar for soil physical, chemical, and biological edaphic amendment. This work intended to evaluate the aptitude of lab produced biochar for upgrading soil moisture dynamics’ relationships considering mixtures of biochar with silica-based sand. The methodology used focused on the carbonization of pine biomass with inert atmosphere at 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C, followed by a chemical proximate and thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared analysis, numerical modeling, and characterization of biochar porosity by gas adsorption (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) and mercury porosimetry. The results showed the increased amounts of soil water retention and plant available water, evaluated through pF curves, due to biochar application. The thermogravimetric analysis mass loss patterns and FTIR transmittance, reflected major structural modifications in carbonized products by comparison with raw biomass. Mercury porosimetry showed that biochar pores between 392 and 250 μm and 32 μm and 6 μm gave the highest pore volume for water retention with a major increase from carbonization, by comparison with physical activation. The used methodologies allowed us to conclude that the carbonaceous feedstock can potentiate the improvement of soil water relations aiming at agricultural land use.

WITHDRAWN: Optimization and characterization of biochar obtained from weedy biomass of Calotropis gigantea by vacuum pyrolysis

“…As pore size was found between 2 to 50 nm (8.35 nm), so pores of biochar of weed C. gigantea is classi ed as mesoporous (as per IUPAC classi cation). This is attributed to the volatilization of the organic compound (Fu et al 2012, Sheau et al 2014, Santos et al 2022. By examining the structural appearance of the SEM micrograph, it is found that irregular elliptical pores are arranged in cross-linked forms over the surface (Fig.…”

“…Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) techniques are used to examine the structure of pores on surface and distribution of minerals in the biochar, respectively. The ligno-cellulosic raw material have brous and cellular structures, such as trachieds, which form the carbon matter after thermal degradation and with increase in temperature the surface morphology of the biochars sophistically changes with the gradual opening of pores on the surface (Liang et al 2016, Santos et al 2022. Further mores pores are also generated due to the decomposing and melting of chemical bonds and structure of raw biomass (Fu et al 2009, Sheau et al, 2014).…”

Novel Green Crosslinked Salecan Hydrogels and Preliminary Investigation of Their Use in 3D Printing

“…Taking into consideration the reduction of the swelling degrees at high reactant concentrations, we assume that the increase of the specific surface area of the hydrogel samples is the determinant factor for the samples, which presented smaller pore sizes and higher swelling degrees [ 48 ]. Large specific surfaces of small pores could allow the retention of more fluid due to the higher contact surface between the material and the fluid [ 49 , 50 ]. Certainly, the fluid uptake can be governed by the chemical structure of the samples, their morphology, meaning the porosity together with the specific surface of the pores, or more likely by an input of each.…”

Enhancement of System and Environmental Performance of High Solids Anaerobic Digestion of Lignocellulosic Banana Waste by Biochar Addition

“…WHC is controlled mainly by the soil's pore number/distribution and surface area [57]. Biochar has been shown to effectively retain water in its pores due to its high porosity and irregular shape [58]. Decreasing biochar particle size from the macro-to micro-range can result in more available sites for water adsorption and higher WHC [58].…”

“…Biochar has been shown to effectively retain water in its pores due to its high porosity and irregular shape [58]. Decreasing biochar particle size from the macro-to micro-range can result in more available sites for water adsorption and higher WHC [58]. Previous studies showed that biochar can adsorb 10 times its weight in water and increase soil WHC up to 30% [58].…”