Biochar production from waste biomass: Characterization and evaluation for potential applications

Abstract

<p>In the last years, global focus has been directing towards the circular economy model. In this framework materials that had so far been regarded as waste, are now considered as valuable resources for both energy and added-value materials recovery. In this context, more and more valorization methods and technologies are being developed for waste valorization, with biomass materials of municipal and agroindustrial origin constituting ideal options, due to both composition and availability.</p><p>Biochar generation from waste biomass is a method with high potential for effectively valorizing such residual resources, by providing not only a waste management option, but also multiple agronomic and environmental benefits. In fact, biochar materials are characterized by high versatility as far as their applications are concerned. Due to their wide variety of properties, biochars can be used in various applications, such the use as an adsorbent for contaminant removal from water or wastewater, or the use as an amendment for improving soil characteristics and remediating contaminated sites.</p><p>In the present study, six different waste biomass feedstocks, specifically three of municipal origin, namely two types of sewage sludge and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, and three of agroindustrial origin, namely grape pomace, rice husks and exhausted olive pomace, were used to generate biochar through pyrolysis at two different temperatures, i.e. 400 and 600 °C. The resulting carbonaceous materials were then characterized through a series of analyses. Based on both physical and chemical biochar properties, it was able to evaluate their potential use in different applications, for agronomic or environmental purposes.</p>

Digestão anaeróbia de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar em batelada para produção de biogás.

“…Existem vários fatores que podem afetar a digestão anaeróbia, como temperatura; pH, alcalinidade e presença de ácidos voláteis; presença de nutrientes; presença de substâncias tóxicas e/ou inibitórias; mistura do meio; tamanho da partícula de substrato; composição do substrato; competição entre grupos de microrganismos; relação carbono-nitrogênio; relação substrato-inóculo e teor de sólidos totais (BITTON, 2005;JØRGENSEN, 2009;PELLERA;GIDARAKOS, 2016). Nos itens abaixo, alguns desses fatores foram destacados.…”

“…A produção de biogás por digestão anaeróbia depende de vários parâmetros operacionais, como temperatura do reator, mistura do meio, tempo de retenção hidráulico do reator, relação carbono-nitrogênio, relação substrato-inóculo, teor de sólidos totais, presença de nutrientes e pH, alcalinidade e presença de ácidos voláteis (BITTON, 2005;JØRGENSEN, 2009;PELLERA;GIDARAKOS, 2016). Trabalhos que avaliaram a variação da relação substratoinóculo e do teor de sólidos totais e a presença de meio nutricional e de solução tampão na digestão anaeróbia de bagaço de cana são escassos ou ausentes na literatura (LIMA et al, 2018).…”