Umar Musa, Jibrin Waziri, Tobias T. Nyam, & Benjamin Adejoh. (2024). Production and Characterization of BiocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More from Rice Husk. Journal of Systematic, Evaluation and Diversity Engineering, 5(5). https://africanscholarpub.com/ajsede/article/view/270

Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced from organic waste through pyrolysisPyrolysis is a thermochemical process that converts waste biomass into bio-char, bio-oil, and pyro-gas. It offers significant advantages in waste valorization, turning low-value materials into economically valuable resources. Its versatility allows for tailored products based on operational conditions, presenting itself as a cost-effective and efficient More, a process of heating biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More in the absence of oxygen. A recent study explored the production of biochar from rice husk, an agricultural byproduct, under pyrolysis at 500°C for 1.5 hours. The results show that this biochar has several beneficial properties, making it a viable solution for environmental applications.

The study achieved a biochar yield of 49%, with a surface area of 310.3 m²/g, indicating its high capacity for adsorption. The pHpH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. A pH of 7 is neutral, while lower pH values indicate acidity and higher values indicate alkalinity. Biochars are normally alkaline and can influence soil pH, often increasing it, which can be beneficial More was measured at 8.4, showing that the biochar is slightly alkaline, which could be advantageous for soil amendmentA soil amendment is any material added to the soil to enhance its physical or chemical properties, improving its suitability for plant growth. Biochar is considered a soil amendment as it can improve soil structure, water retention, nutrient availability, and microbial activity.   More, particularly in acidic soils. Other key properties include a bulk density of 0.143 g/cm³, pore volume of 0.143 cm³/g, and a pore size of 3.681 nm. These factors contribute to its potential in soil conditioning, water purification, and gas separation.

The rice husk biochar also exhibited good moisture content (11%) and fixed carbon (46%), enhancing its suitability for soil improvement, carbon sequestration, and pollutant adsorptionBiochar has a remarkable ability to attract and hold onto pollutants, like heavy metals and organic chemicals. This makes it a valuable tool for cleaning up contaminated soil and water.   More. Its adsorption capacity was 0.894 mg/g, making it effective for removing contaminants from water and air.

In conclusion, biochar from rice husk not only presents a method for managing agricultural waste but also offers a low-cost solution for various environmental applications such as wastewater treatment, soil restoration, and air purification.