Browsing by Subject "Biochar"
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Item Effects of Biochar Recycling on Switchgrass Growth and Soil and Water Quality in Bioenergy Production Systems(2012-07-16) Husmoen, Derek HowardIntensive biomass production in emerging bioenergy systems could increase nonpoint-source sediment and nutrient losses and impair surface and groundwater quality. Recycling biochar, a charcoal byproduct from pyrolysis of biomass, provides potential sources of mineral nutrients and organic carbon for sustaining biomass productivity and preserving soil and water. Yet, research is needed to verify that recycling of pyrolysis biochars will enhance crop growth and soil and environmental quality similar to black carbon or biochar derived from burning of biomass in tropical or Terra Preta soils. The experimental design of this study consisted of 3 replications and four biochar rates (0, 4, 16, and 64 Mg ha-1) incorporated in both a sandy loam and clay soil with and without fertilizer sources of N, P, and K. The sandy loam and clay soils were studied in separate experiments within a set of 24 box lysimeters seeded with switchgrass. Simulated rain was applied at 50 percent and 100 percent establishment of switchgrass for each soil type. Runoff and leachate were collected and analyzed for total and dissolved N, P, K and organic C. After the second rain event, each soil type and the accumulated switchgrass was sampled and analyzed. In the Boonville soil, biochar applied at 64 Mg ha-1 decreased switchgrass emergence from 42 percent to 14 percent when compared to soil alone. In the Burleson soil, 64 Mg ha-1 biochar had no effect (P > 0.05) on biomass production or leaf area index (LAI). Fertilizer N, P, and K had no effect (P > 0.05) on switchgrass emergence for either soil, but did increase (P < 0.001) N, P, and K uptake, biomass production, and LAI. Increasing rates of biochar increased (P < 0.001) runoff concentrations of DRP during each rain event for both the Boonville and Burleson soils. Four rates of biochar receiving supplemental N, P, and K fertilizer also resulted in greater runoff concentrations of DRP. Emergence tests under increased heat showed electrical conductivities of soil-water solutions to be as high as 600 microS cm-1, even after biochar was washed with acetone and water to remove residual oils and tars and soluble salts. Increasing biochar rates decreased soil bulk density and increased pH and SOC in the 0- to 5-cm depth of soil. As a result of high nutrient recovery during pyrolysis (58 percent of total N, 86 percent of total P and 101 percent of total K), high rates of biochar applied at 64 Mg ha-1 increased mass losses of TN, TP, and TK from both soils. Yet, the mass balance of nutrients showed a surplus of N, P, and K at 64 Mg ha-1 biochar, which suggests some nutrient inputs are not plant available and remain in soil. Careful management of biochar, especially at high rates with these high nutrient contents, is critical when trying to improve soil fertility while protecting water quality. ?Item Essays on Economic and Environmental Analysis of Taiwanese Bioenergy Production on Set-Aside Land(2012-02-14) Kung, Chih-ChunDomestic production of bioenergy by utilizing set-aside land in Taiwan can reduce Taiwan?s reliance on expensive and politically insecure foreign fossil fuels while also reducing the combustion of fossil fuels, which emit substantial amounts of greenhouse gases. After joining the World Trade Organization, Taiwan?s agricultural sector idled about one-third of the national cropland, hereafter called ?set-aside land?. This potentially provides the land base for Taiwan to develop a bioenergy industry. This dissertation examines Taiwan?s potential for bioenergy production using feedstocks grown on set-aside land and discusses the consequent effects on Taiwan?s energy security plus benefits and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Taiwan Agricultural Sector Model (TASM) was used to simulate different agricultural policies related to bioenergy production. To do this simulation the TASM model was extended to include additional bioenergy production possibilities and GHG accounting. We find that Taiwan?s bioenergy production portfolio depends on prices of ethanol, electricity and GHG. When GHG prices go up, ethanol production decreases and electricity production increases because of the relatively stronger GHG offset power of biopower. Results from this pyrolysis study are then incorporated into the TASM model. Biochar from pyrolysis can be used in two ways: burn it or use it as a soil amendment. Considering both of these different uses of biochar, we examine bioenergy production and GHG offset to see to what extent Taiwan gets energy security benefits from the pyrolysis technology and how it contributes to climate change mitigation. Furthermore, by examining ethanol, electricity and pyrolysis together in the same framework, we are able to see how they affect each other under different GHG prices, coal prices and ethanol prices. Results show that ethanol is driven out by pyrolysis-based electricity when GHG price is high. We also find that when biochar is hauled back to the rice fields, GHG emission reduction is higher than that when biochar is burned for electricity; however, national electricity production is consequently higher when biochar is burned.Item Poinsettia and Easter Lily Growth and Development Responses to Root Substrate Containing Biochar(2014-11-13) Guo, YanjunGreenhouse production of Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) mainly uses peat-based root substrates. The decrease of peatland has increased the need for alternative root substrate components in the horticulture industry. Biochar, a byproduct of bio-energy production, has the potential to be an alternative root substrate component to reduce the use of peatmoss in greenhouse production. The objectives of the present studies were to determine the effects of different percentages of biochar and fertigation regimes on the growth and development of ?Prestige Red? poinsettia and Easter lily ?Nellie White? in greenhouse production. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate different percentages of one type of biochar added to a commercial peat-based root substrate for poinsettia and Easter lily greenhouse production. In experiment one, rooted poinsettia cuttings were potted in one of the six root substrates mixes including Sunshine Mix #1 replaced by 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, or 100% biochar (by volume) and irrigated under four fertigation regimes (100 to 200 mg?L-1 N, 200 to 300 mg?L^-1 N, 300 to 400 mg?L^-1 N, or 400 to 500 mg?L^-1 N). Root rot and red bract necrosis were only observed in the highest fertigation regime (400-500 mg?L^-1 N) combined with the highest biochar percentage (100%). At 100 to 400 mg?L^-1 N fertilization rate, up to 80% of the commercial peat-based root substrate could be replaced by biochar without a significant change in poinsettia growth and quality. In experiment two, Easter lily bulbs were potted in one of the five root substrates mixes (Sunshine Mix #1 amended with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% biochar) and irrigated under four fertigation regimes (constant liquid feed at 200 mg?L^-1 N or 300 mg?L^-1 N, and fertilization at every third watering with 200 mg?L^-1 N or 300 mg?L^-1 N). Neither fertigation regimes nor biochar percentages significantly affected the Easter lily growth and development. Under the four fertigation regimes used in this experiment, up to 80% peat-based root substrate could be replaced by biochar without a significant difference on the growth and development of Easter lily.Item The Potential for Activated Biochar to Remove Waterborne Viruses from Environmental Waters(2012-07-16) Florey, JamesThe need for clean potable water and sustainable energy are two current and pressing issues with implications affecting the global population. Renewed interests in alternative energy have prompted researchers to investigate the full capacity of biofuels. These interests have led to not only the examination of current method limitations, but also to the investigation of new conversion methods. One promising method for bioenergy production is pyrolysis of lignocellulosic feedstocks. Through pyrolysis, a single crop may produce ethanol, bio-oil, and/or gaseous energy (syngas). The remaining solid phase product is a black carbon dubbed 'biochar'. In the current study, biochar was used as a both an unamended sorbent and a precursor to form powdered activated carbons (PACs) capable of removing waterborne viruses. Biochar was activated with KOH, ZnCl2, and H3PO4 and analyzed using the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) method, a combination of Kjeldahl digest and ICP-MS, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Sorbents were tested in batch studies using phosphate buffered saline (PBS), surface water, and groundwater. Bacteriophages MS2 and thetaX174 served as viral surrogates. All activation treatments significantly increased surface area, up to 1495.5 m2/g (KOH-activated). While the non-activated biochar was not effective in virus removal, the KOH-activated PAC had tremendous removal in the PBS/MS2 batch (mean 98.7% removal, up to 6.2 x 109 particles/mL, as compared to the Darco S-51: 82.3%). As evidenced by this study, sorption efficiency will be governed by viral species, carbon type and concentration, and water quality. The results of this study indicate that biochar can serve as a precursor for a highly porous and effective PAC, capable of removing waterborne viruses from environmental waters.