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Development of Biochar Based Fertilisers
Dr S Joseph, Dr S McGlashan,
Dr P Munroe, Dr Y Lin, C Chia
Introduction
A Research and Development Program has been
undertaken to develop a biochar based fertiliser;
•Be applied at low application rates (<1 tonne/hectare)
•Provide yields similar to chemical fertilisers applied at similar application
rates using existing application equipment
•Formulation is easily modified for specific soils and plants
•Increases water holding capacity , nutrient uptake efficiency, CEC,
adsorption of toxic elements, mineralisation of soil organic matter and
beneficial micro-organisms.
•Has a recalcitrant component (biochar, minerals and clay) and a labile
organic component (torrefied manure and organic molecules on biochar.
The labile component provides food for soil micro-organisms and act as
signaling chemicals to assist in nutrient uptake and plant health
Terra Preta and Bocashi
(Biochar Mineral Complexes)
Terra Preta and Bocashi soils are composed of a mixture of biochar that has reacted with
clay, minerals and biomass in the presence of micro-organisms to produce organo-mineral
agglomerates. These soils are rich in elements such as P, Mg, Zn, Ca, Fe, Mg, Ti and Mn.
They exhibit higher water holding capacity than the surrounding soil, higher pH, and higher
cation exchange capacity (CEC).
What is BMC?
Materials1) Biochar made at low temperatures <550C) preferably from woody waste
or purpose grown trees with or without activation
2) Clay (preferably a swelling clay that has a high content of smectite and
organic matter)
3) High mineral ash biomass such as bagasse palm waste, manures, bark,
clean paper sludge, rice husks, bones, compost
4) Minerals such as calcium carbonate, rock phosphate, dolomite, crushed
granite and basalt
5) Ash from biomass burning in furnaces.
Process1) Mix wet biomass and minerals with or without biochar
2) Place material into the torrefaction kiln and heat up to 180C to 250C.
Hold this temperature for 1 to 5 hours.
3) Add more biochar and other growth enhancing compounds or
inoculate with microbes. Further activation can be carried out.
4) Can either granulate, pelletise or prill or bag loose material
Characterisation of BMC
BMC consists of a wide range of particles that have
different morphologies and different compositions.
Some of the particle (chemically activated biochar) have
a high surface area, high cation exchange capacity, high
aromaticity, and high concentration of functional groups.
Other particles have a high labile carbon content and
high concentration of soluble minerals but a lower
surface area.
BMC can be designed as a slow release fertiliser, and/or
as a catalyst to stimulate microbial growth. It appears
that BMC may provide nutrients on demand through their
redox and electrical properties
Some Agronomic Properties of BMC
EC .01-3.6 Ds/m
pH (CaCl2) 5.7-8.0
Total P 1-7 %
Colwell P 1800- 3700 mg/kg
Total Nitrogen 1.0-6 %
Total Carbon 20-40 %
Total K .1-5 %
KCl extractable
Ammonium100-500 mg/kg
KCl extractable Nitrate .2-1 mg/kg
Organic Carbon 10-50 %
ANC 7.0-10.0 % CaCO3 equiv.
Total Exchangeable
Cations50-110 cmol(+)/kg
Ti+Fe+Mg+Mn+Ca 1-5 %
The product is formulated for particular soils and crops
Structure of BMC
Biochar surrounded by minerals and torrefied manure
Structure of BMC
Distribution of Minerals on Outside of Biochar
Structure of BMC (TEM Examination
Distribution of Minerals Inside Coating
Structure of BMC
Distribution of Surface Functional Groups
XPS SURFACE BMC6 BMC5
Name Name At. % At. %
C1s A C-C/C-H 26.34 10.68
C1s B C-O 6.43 13.77
C1s C C=O 1.42 4.04
C1s D COOH 2.41 2.14
N1s B N-C 0.98 0.28
N1s A Amino acid N 1.55 1.02
N1s C NH3 0.66
O1s A Silicates 38.64 27.17
O1s B O-C 0.38 17.54
Biochar Heat Treatment Temp (HTT)= 600C
HTT = 400C
Biopolymers – proteins and polysaccharides; Building blocks – oxidat.
products of humics; �Neutrals - alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, mono-
oligosacchrides; Acids- monooprotonic organic acids < 360 Daltons
GC-MC Solvent Extracted Labile C conc. mg/g charCarboxylic acids Low Temp Biochar High Temp Biochar
Hexadecanoic acid 788 84
Heptadecanoic acid, methyl ester 3
cis-cis-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid 6
cis-9-Octadecenoic acid 44 5
trans-9-Octadecenoic acid 24 7
Octadecanoic acid 171 77
LC-OCD Water Extracted Labile C conc. mg/g charDissolved Organic C 204 77
% Hydrophobic 0.0% 56.0%
% Biopolymers 8.5% 7.6%
% Humics 28.1% 15.1%
% Building Blocks 14.4% 20.5%
% Low molecular weight neutrals 46.0% 0.0%
% Low molecular weight acids 2.6% 7.0%
Sandy Soil Control
1% Eucalyptus Sawdust
Biochar pyrolysed at
550C
1% BMC6;
(refe
ren
ced to
H2
Ele
ctro
de
)
1% Jarrah Biochar
BMC6 is made from;
Jarrah Biochar (pyrolysed
600C) mixed with clay,
chicken litter, minerals and
baked for 3 hrs at 220C
Activation process
anodic current generated
Change in Surface Area, Lattice structure and
Functional Groups with possibility of CO2
Capacitator
Increase in Cathodic Behavior
Testing of Biochar and BMC in Costa
Rica; Dramatic Improvement in Yields(Assess the Feasibility of Biochar Utilization in the Osa Peninsula – Feb 2010)
Commercial WA Broad-Acre Wheat Trials
# Treatment Vigour
(1-10)
Yield
(t/Ha)
Protein
(%)
Hectolitre Screenings
(%)
1.1 NPK Crop Plus 4.0 1.607 10.40 77.413 2.973
1.2 NPK Crop Plus + urea 5.3 1.457 10.50 77.110 3.780
2.1 NPK Crop B 5.0 1.467 10.87 78.693 2.497
2.2 NPK Crop B + urea 5.7 1.580 10.80 77.677 4.263
3.1 Macro Pro Extra (NPK) 5.3 1.777 10.23 80.020 2.633
3.2 Macro Pro Extra + urea 6.0 1.715 10.73 78.413 3.023
4 Nil 3.7 1.307 10.20 78.907 2.247
NPK (6:7: 3.5) Crop B applied at 25kg/Ha of BMC and 75kg/Ha of WMF;
NPK Crop Plus (8:9:4.5) 100kg/ha WMF
Macro Pro Extra (10%N; 11%P: 11%K) at 100kg/ha
Urea (46% N) at 10.5 units/ha
Increased Protein Yield although lower yield than soluble chemical fertiliser (Macro Pro)
Increased Protein Yield although lower yield than soluble chemical fertiliser
Increased efficiency of added N as Urea
Similar total biomass and colour (vigour) to soluble fertiliser
DAFWA 2009 SORGHUM PLOT TRIALS
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Control Solube 60kg/ha BMC 300kg/ha
gm
so
fdry
gra
in/b
in
Treatment
IMPROVEMENT IN FUNGI GROWTH
S = Water soluble fertiliserSOURCE
DR Z Suliman
University of Western Australia
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Nil Solube 60kg/ha BMC 300kg/ha
Pe
rce
nta
ge
Colo
nis
atio
n
Treatments
IMPROVEMENT IN FUNGI GROWTH
P
K
CaC O
Al Si
Fe
2010 Victorian commercial trials
Treatment Yield (T/ha)
BMC 7
Nil 1.16 – 2.02
0.3 T/ha BMC 2.85
1.0 T/ha BMC 1.22
3.0 T/ha BMC 2.36
10 T/ha BMC 3.48
100 kg Diammonium P/ha 1.23
Note – replications underway. Considerable variation between the Nil plots.
Pasture Trials Mixed Oats and Rye
NSW DPI 2009 Wheat Pot Trial Results
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Average gms/pot without N
Ave
. to
tal g
ms o
f b
iom
ass
(pla
nt)
/po
t
Tonnes/hectare of BMC
Lsd=0.29
Significant result above 2.5 tonnes/hectare of BMC or about .8 tonnes/hectare of biochar.
Final results are total grams per pot (see height data for plant numbers but the target was 8
plants per pot, thinned from a sowing of 10). Dry weight percentage is simply dry weight
over wet weight X100. Plants were dried at 80deg in our agronomy shed for 5 days.
Adding N as Urea. Urea=46% N. Each pot = 250g ODE. with 0.055g Urea/pot
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 1 2 3 4
Average gms/pot without N
Average gms/pot with N
Tonnes/hectare of Biochar in BMC
Small scale/portable systems
Development of a small portable
biochar unit
With an output of 100-150kg/hr of
biochar
Chipper incorporated into the design
High efficiency low emissions porous
burner
Option to Capture up to 2MWs of
Heat
Options to oxidise surfaces and add
nutrients
Small scale/portable systems600 kg/hr Torrefier
Pyrolysis and Torrefaction Unit
Anthroterra has designed a 1 tonne/hr pyrolysis kiln and a 2 tonne/hr
baking kiln to make BMC. These units are scalable to 4 tonnes/hr
Pyrolyser with thermal output to run either
1)boiler/turbine, stirling or organic rankine cycle genset
2)Thermal process equipment
Baking Oven to make
Biochar Mineral complex
Biofilter
In summary
Biochar Mineral Complexes appear to stimulate beneficial
microbial growth and improve nutrient uptake efficiency at
low application rates of biochar
Surfaces have high concentration of acidic and basic
functional groups and a relatively high humic acid content
that results in high CEC
Labile polar and non polar organic molecules appear to
stimulate microbial growth and could act as signalling
compounds
Surfaces are redox active and could increase the
breakdown of biomass to SOM
Properties are easy to adjust for Soil and crop
Recommended