Content of Heavy Metals in Various Biochar and Assessment Environmental Risk

Kujawska, Justyna

doi:10.12911/22998993/166557

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Although this comparison should be intended as a first attempt, it allows for the identification of environmental categories likely affected by the change in composition, emphasizing the need for particular attention to categories addressing toxicity (i.e., FETP, METP, HTPc, and HTPnc). In general, there is considerable debate regarding the potential contamination of biochar with leachable metals, which adversely affect the toxicity parameters in LCA [79]. The presence of metals is closely linked to the feedstock from which the biochar is derived.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Assessment of a Wood Biomass Gasification Plant and Implications for Syngas and Biochar Utilization

Arfelli,

Tosi,

Ciacci

et al. 2024

Energies

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The growing attention regarding the environmental challenges in the energy sectors pushes the industrial system toward the investigation of more sustainable and renewable energy sources to replace fossil ones. Among the promising alternatives, biomass is considered a valid source to convert the system and to reduce the fossil fraction of the national energy mixes, but its multiple potential uses need an environmental evaluation to understand the actual benefit when it is used as an energy resource. For this purpose, life cycle assessment (LCA) is applied to a wood biomass gasification system aimed to produce electricity and heat generated after the combustion of the produced syngas and the management of the biochar. The aim is to provide a quantitative comparison of (i) a baseline scenario where wood biomass is sourced from waste and (ii) a second scenario where wood biomass is drawn from dedicated cultivation. A further evaluation was finally applied to investigate the environmental implications associated with the biochar composition, assuming it was used on land. The proposed strategies resulted in an environmental credit for both the examined scenarios, but the outcomes showed a net preference for the baseline scenario, resulting in better environmental performances for all the examined categories with respect to the second one. It underlines the potentialities of using waste-sourced biomass. However, according to the Climate Change category, if on-site dedicated biomass cultivation is assumed for the second scenario, the baseline is considered preferable only if the biomass transportation distance is <600 km, which is estimated as a theoretical distance for scenarios to break even. Finally, biochar composition proved a particular concern for toxicity-related categories. This study highlights the importance of applying objective and standardized methodologies such as LCA to evaluate energy production systems based on alternative sources and to support decision-making toward achieving sustainability goals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Assessment of a Wood Biomass Gasification Plant and Implications for Syngas and Biochar Utilization

Arfelli,

Tosi,

Ciacci

et al. 2024

Energies

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“…However, these heavy metals did not exceed the guidelines set by the IBI. It was also found that biochar derived from plant biomass held the lowest concentrations of heavy metals, while coal-refuse biochar displayed the highest concentrations (Kujawska, 2023). For example, the recorded concentrations of cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc in plant biomass were 0.03, 10.3, 19.7, 10.5, 10.9, and 55.5 mg kg -1 , respectively, while those in coalrefuse biochar were 0.25, 16.9, 34.1, 14.3, 15.1, and 71.3 mg kg -1 , respectively (Kujawska, 2023).…”

Section: Potential Source Of Toxicantsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…For example, biochar made from biomass high in VOCs, such as manure or food waste, is more likely to have a higher VOC content compared with biochar made from biomass that is low in VOCs, such as wood (Saletnik et al, 2019). Likewise, biochar produced from various sources, including plant biomass, municipal solid waste, compost, and coal refuse exhibited a range of concentrations for chromium (5.88-69.4), nickel (4.60-33.4), copper (3.96-40.3), zinc (9.61-138), lead (1.71-36), cadmium (0.12-0.17), and arsenic (0.12-1.53) mg kg -1 (Kujawska, 2023). However, these heavy metals did not exceed the guidelines set by the IBI.…”

Section: Potential Source Of Toxicantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar as a tool for the improvement of soil and environment

Kabir,

Kim,

Kwon

2023

Front. Environ. Sci.

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Biochar is a versatile and sustainable tool for agricultural and environmental remediation due to its unique physicochemical properties in terms of soil fertility, nutrient retention, and water holding capacity. As a stable carbon-rich material, biochar promotes plant growth and increases crop yields by enhancing microbial activity. It can also be used as a sorbent for removing pollutants such as heavy metals, organic contaminants, and nutrients from soil and water systems. However, the utility of biochar in soil and its ecological impact can be affected by the combined effects of many variables. This paper discusses the effects of biochar application on soil properties and its potential to mitigate various environmental challenges by enhancing soil composition, augmenting water accessibility, and removing pollutants as part of efforts to promote sustainable agriculture based on recent findings. These findings are expected to improve the utility of biochar in farming while contributing to the mitigation of climate change in diverse routes (e.g., by sequestering atmospheric carbon, improving soil quality, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions). This paper offers a promising opportunity to help harness the power of biochar and to pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.

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“…The increase in fixed carbon and ash content with temperature can be caused by the removal of volatile matter, leaving the more stable carbon and ash-forming inorganic matter in biomass [55]. During pyrolysis, heavy metals, like chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cm), and lead (Pb), accumulate in the ash fractions [56]. This is important, since the ash content present in soil has a significant impact on the growth of plants.…”

Section: Biochar's Fuel Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fuel Characteristics and Phytotoxicity Assay of Biochar Derived from Rose Pruning Waste

Stefanów,

Sobieraj,

Hejna

et al. 2024

Materials

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The aim of this study was the characterization and evaluation of applicability as a soil amendment of biochar derived from rose pruning waste at different pyrolysis temperatures (200–500 °C) and process durations (20–60 min). The biochar properties were compared to the raw material. The biochars produced at 300 °C for 40 and 60 min demonstrated the best fuel properties. These variants showed high energy gain rates (77.6 ± 1.5% and 74.8 ± 1.5%, respectively), energy densification ratios (1.35 ± 0.00 and 1.37 ± 0.00, respectively), high heating values (24,720 ± 267 J × g−1 and 25,113 ± 731 J × g−1, respectively), and relative low ash contents (5.9 ± 0.5% and 7.1 ± 0.3%, respectively). Regarding fertilizer properties, such as pH value, ash content, heavy metal content, and pollutant elution, the biochars showed better qualities than the raw material. All tested biochar did not exceed the permissible values for heavy metals, including Cr, Cd, Ni, and Pb. The most optimal properties for soil amendments were noted for biochar variants of 400 °C for 40 min, 450 °C for 20 min, and 500 °C for 20 min. Generally, biochars produced at temperatures ≥400 °C did not inhibit root elongation, except for the material produced at 450 °C for 60 min (4.08 ± 23.34%). Biochars obtained at ≥300 °C showed a positive impact on seed germination (86.67 ± 18.48–100 ± 24.14%).

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Content of Heavy Metals in Various Biochar and Assessment Environmental Risk

Cited by 8 publications

References 20 publications

Life Cycle Assessment of a Wood Biomass Gasification Plant and Implications for Syngas and Biochar Utilization

Life Cycle Assessment of a Wood Biomass Gasification Plant and Implications for Syngas and Biochar Utilization

Biochar as a tool for the improvement of soil and environment

Fuel Characteristics and Phytotoxicity Assay of Biochar Derived from Rose Pruning Waste

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