Scholarly record
USE OF WASTE FROM SEED CLEANING TO PRODUCE BIOCHAR AND EVALUATION OF THE CONTENT OF MICROELEMENTS CONTAINED THEREIN
Abstract
Biochar of the waste from seed cleaning to produce can improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration. Chemical properties of biochar are affected by input biomass (feedstock) type. Biochar production from wood pellets, pelletized sweet clovers, poppy residues, hay, straw, grass-seed and alfalfa is discussed. Micro-elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B) in biochars prepared from different types of pelletized biomass are evaluated. All materials exhibited higher element contents. The highest Fe and Cu were in biochar from poppy (18 484 g/t-1 Fe and 41.2 g/t-1 Cu, increase by more than 25x and 67x, respectively). Biochar from clovers showed a significant Zn increase (up to 2 906 % of the reference value) and a high content of B (129.5 g/t-1). Biochar from straw had a relatively lower content of micro-elements, especially Zn (132%). The other elements showed only a milder increase. Results confirm that biochar chemical composition is affected by feedstock. Biochars produced from seed cleaning by-products and another unusable plant biomass is a source of micro-elements contributing to soil – plant nutrition and improved physical properties.
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References12
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