Characterization of Biochar Empty Fruit Bunches OPEFB at Various Temperatures and Burning Time

Abstract

Oil palm waste (OPW), comprising mainly of empty fruit bunch, mesocarp fiber, frond, trunk, and palm kernel shell generated from the palm oil industry, was collected, characterized, and then pyrolyzed to evaluate their potential to be converted into biochar. Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OPEFB) are a source of organic material with abundant nutrients and are highly potentially useful as biochar. This article provides experimental data for the production of biochar at a temperature range of 100 to 300 °C at time of 4 to 8 hours. The chemical components examined are pH, CEC, C-Organic, N-total, C/N, K dd, P, Ca, Mg, and Na, using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that organic C, nitrogen, and pH were highest at 200–300 °C and had a burning time of 8 hours. Furthermore, the highest concentrations of P, Ca, and Mg were recorded at 200–300°C after 5 hours, Kdd at 100–200 °C after 5 hours, and Na and CEC at 200–300 °C after 4 hours. The transmittance intensity produced by the spectrum of hydroxyl (O-H) vibrations, carbonyl stretching (C=O), alkanes (-CH), and aromatics (C=C) decreased with increasing time, while stretching alcohol (C-O) vibrations increased with time. Our results demonstrate that OPEB is a biowaste that shows exceptional promise to be transformed into high-grade biochar rather than simply disposed of by landfilling or burning.

Enhanced spirulina platensis growth for photosynthetic pigments production in oil palm empty fruit bunch medium

“…The optical density and dry biomass recorded on day 36 on the medium containing 8 g L -1 of OPEFB were significantly higher than those of the other treatments and the control Figure 1a and b). This result could be explained by the presence of phosphorus, nitrate and sulphate in the OPEFB, as reported by Marhani, Laban, and Musa (2022) and Udeinya et al (2021). The medium that received more OPEFB concentration would therefore be more favourable for better growth and consequently high optical density.…”