SDSU Biochar Projects Presentation

8/9/2019 SDSU Biochar Projects Presentation

1/35

SDSU Biochar Projects


2/35

INTERACTIONS OF BIOCHAR

SOURCE/PROPERTIES IMPACTSON SOIL PROPERTIES, C

,AND CROP MANAGEMENT

D.D. Malo and S.A. Clay (project leaders), T.E. Schumacher,H.J. Woodard, D.E. Clay, and R.H. Gelderman, SDSU Plant

Science Department; and H. Lei and J.L. Julson, SDSUAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department


3/35


4/35

Others involved in projectResearch Associates:

Steph HansenCarrie WerkmeisterBev Klein

Undergraduate trainingMitch OlsonKaitlynn KrackDan ClaySusie Rodriguez


5/35

Introduction

MaterialsMethods

Future research


6/35

BiocharCo-product of pyrolysis,

an incineration method to gain energy (orethanol) from organic materials under low orzero oxygen environments

Many different starting materials includingWoodCorn stover

switchgrassThe end-product is typically a fine-grained,highly porous charcoal


7/35

Why land spread biochar?

disposal method

reuse nutrients remaining in biocharfor carbon sequestration


8/35

Soil characteristics or processes thatmay be affected by biochar addition

Recent studies have focused on using biocharas nutrient sourcesFew studies have examined how biochar may

including:Soil water holding capacity and releaseSoil warming

Soil microbial activitypH and EC (salt content)Herbicide sorption


9/35

SDSU AG and Biosystems Engineering Dept.SDSU AG and Biosystems Engineering Dept.Task 1: Conversion process data collectionTask 1: Conversion process data collection- - Year 1 WorkYear 1 Work

Assembled a microwaveAssembled a microwave- - aided pyrolysis process.aided pyrolysis process.

Completed pyrolysis of woodchips, switchgrassCompleted pyrolysis of woodchips, switchgrassand corn stover samplesand corn stover samples- - based on a centralbased on a centralcomposite experimental design.composite experimental design.

Source of biochar for herbicide sorption studies.Source of biochar for herbicide sorption studies.


10/35

ObjectiveDetermine the

pH and EC of biochar produced from various materialsand conditionsherbicide sorption characteristics of biochar alone

soil pHsoil ECsoil microbial communities

herbicide sorption


11/35

MaterialsBiochar from three sources

SwitchgrassCorn Stover

Corn stover and switchgrass were processed by. .

Julson and Dr. H. Lei)Temperatures used were 550, 600, or 650 CProcessing time 8 to 25 minutes

9 samples of each materialWood ash [obtained from CVec Plant(Benson, MN)]


12/35

CVEC Plant* (Benson, MN)

* Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company - Source of wood bioash/biochar used in initial parts of project


13/35

Low temperature(550 C)

High temperature(650 C)

Increasing time


14/35

Low temperature

(550 C)

High temperature(650 C)

Increasing time


15/35

Corn stover biochar image from Scanning Electron Microscope (HITACHI S-3000N),operated at 10 kV with pyrolysis condition at 550C; The size of the hollow area wasaround 2-10 m.


16/35

Microbial Studies InitiatedDenaturing Gradient Gel electrophoresis

(DGGE). Three soils and two different levelsof biochar additions were established and arebeing incubated. At selected times samples

are taken and DGGE and fluoresceindiacetate hydrolysis (FDA) tests will be run todetermine if changes in soil microbial

community occur as a result ofbiochar/bioash additions.


17/35

Herbicide sorption studiesTwo herbicides

Atrazine2,4-D

Biochar alone or mixed with a Brandt silty

c ay oam so p . at1% biochar (w/w) or10% biochar (w/w)

0.01 M CaCl 2 with or without herbicide wasadded 4:1(v/w) when soil was present or 5:1(v/w) if biochar alone


18/35

Measured

pHECHerbicide remainin in solution after 24 hr of

agitation,sorption coefficient (K d) for each herbicide wascalculated

Three replications/trt; replicated in time


19/35

Results to date


20/35

Wood Chip Bioash/BiocharProperties

% Total Carbon = range from 37.7 to 36.4

with average of 37.0%)% Total Nitrogen = range from 0.15 to 0.17with average of 0.16%)

C:N ratio = range of 249:1 to 224:1 with anaverage of 239:1


21/35

Wood Chip Bioash/BiocharProperties

pH values (range from 11.8 to 9.8 with

average of 11.0)Electrical conductivity [salt measurement](range = 2.9 to 4.7 average = 3.6 dS m -1)

Water soluble bases (Na + = 11.6 cmol c kg -1;K+ = 19.1 cmol c kg -1; Mg2+ = 0.04 cmol c kg -1;and Ca 2+ = 3.5 cmol c kg -1)


22/35

1.5

22.5

3

EC (dS/m)

Switchgrass Biochar EC

10

0

0.5

1

550 600 650

Processing temperature

22

Soil ECWood chip EC = 3.6


23/35

8

9

10

Switchgrass biochar pH

* 671 C

3

4

5

6

7

550 600 650

16

22

10% soil

Processing temperature


24/35

7

9

pH

Switchgrass vs Corn stover Biochar pH

10

3

5

550S 550C 650S 650C

Processing Temperature

1620


25/35


26/35

607080

90

Atrazine sorption by corn stoverbiochar

010

203040Kd

550 600 650

Temperature

101622


27/35

101214

16

Kd atrazine in soil with 10%switchgrass biochar

0246

550 600 650Processing temperature

101622

Kd atrazine tosoil = 3.8


28/35

8

10

12

Kd atrazine in soil with 10% cornstover biochar

0

2

4


1622

Kd atrazine tosoil = 3.8


29/35

AtrazineAtrazine sorption is known to increase at when soil

pH is either low (8)The increased sorption (Kd) when biochar is presentimplies

controlLonger residence time at high pH (due to unavailabilityto soil microbes)Shorter residence time at low pH (due to chemicalhydroxylation)Changed leaching potential


30/35

30

40

50

2,4-D sorption by switchgrass biochar

0

10

20Kd

550 600 650

Temperature

101622

Kd 2,4-D tosoil = 1.0

*


31/35

101214

16

Kd 2,4-D in soil with 10%switchgrass biochar

0246


1622

2,4-D sorptionby soil


32/35

2,4-D2,4-D is not a soil applied herbicide, however,

small sorption coefficients to soil due to itsnegative charge give a model compound ascomparison

2,4-D sorption also increased when specificbiochar types were addedLess leaching by the negative compounds

Longer residence time


33/35

Example of how Kd value affects

leaching through a matrix

Input values for each scenario:Matrix layer = 20 and Pore value = 85

Red line = breakthrough curve ofnonadsorbed carrier (water)

Green line = breakthrou h curve for chemical

Kd = 1

Kd = 1

of interest

Kd = 4Kd = 9

Simulationrun throughNetLogo 4.1


34/35

SDSU AG and Biosystems Engineering Dept.SDSU AG and Biosystems Engineering Dept.

Year 2 PlanYear 2 Plan - - Conversion process data collectionConversion process data collection

Determine composition of biofuels components.Determine composition of biofuels components.

Determine composition of biochars.Determine composition of biochars.Determine energy content of biofuels components.Determine energy content of biofuels components.

..


35/35

Plant Science Dept.Year 2 Plan

Examine herbicide sorption characteristics

using wood ashExamine desorption characteristics whenbiochar is amended to soil

Examine herbicide availability to plants ingreenhouse studiesColumn leaching experiments

Documents

SDSU Biochar Projects Presentation