Wheat Straw Pyrolysis for Biochar Production: Characterization and Application as Soil Conditioner

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies, Cairo University, EGYPT

2 Regional Center for Food and Feed, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, EGYPT

Abstract

The re-use of plant biomasses by converting them into value added products is a major sustainability challenge. Large amounts of plant biomass are usually available especially during main crops harvest seasons. In the present work, biochar was produced by thermal decomposition of wheat straw biomass at 450ᵒC under limited oxygen condition. The resulting biochar (WSB) was subjected to different types of characterization. The biochar elemental composition showed a high carbon content (41.43%), hydrogen (6.43%) and nitrogen (1.06%). The FTIR results revealed several functional groups such as O-H, C-H, C=N–, C=C, and C=O on the biochar’s surface. The SEM results were obtained for wheat straw before and after pyrolysis and the results revealed that the surface morphology of wheat straw was converted from non-porous to porous surface upon pyrolysis. After characterization experiments, the biochar from wheat straw was tested as soil conditioner. In this part of the work, a sandy soil sample was collected from Al-Ismailia governorate. The soil was subjected to different tests to get its properties before beginning the experiment. Then biochar was applied to the soil (w/w) at two rates low (2.5%) and high (10%). Soil samples with no biochar served as control. All samples were incubated for 3 months with continuous moisturizing. At the end of the incubation, soil samples were collected and analyzed. The results indicated a significant effect for biochar application on the tested soil physical and chemical properties. The statistical analysis results revealed a significant (P<0.05) increase in organic matter, organic carbon, pH and electric conductivity values after biochar addition and this increase was proportional to the level of biochar used. As compared with the control treatment, it can be observed that the application of biochar into soil significantly (P<0.05) increased its nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content. The concentrations of soluble anions and cations in soil were significantly (P<0.05) increased as a result of biochar addition. From the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that by pyrolyzing wheat straw resulted in a well porous carbonaceous biochar which was successfully applied as a soil conditioner especially for sandy soil.

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Egyptian Journal of Chemistry
Volume 66, Issue 13 - Serial Number 13
Special Issue: Applied Chemistry for Greener Life and Sustainability
December 2023
Pages 2231-2236

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 March 2023
  • Revise Date: 24 May 2023
  • Accept Date: 14 June 2023

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