BIOCHAR RESEARCH AT THE NZBRC.

THE SOIL SCIENCE STREAM

Marta Camps
RESEARCH ON BIOCHAR AND SOILS

LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS

+ LOGISTICS + ECONOMICS

Feedstock/ Behaviour in
Characterisation
production soils

- decomposition
- C recovery - how to account for rates
C sequestration - C stability the stable fraction? - priming effect on
NOM

- available nutrients
- determining CEC - nutrient fertility
- liming equivalence
Added value - activation –surface
and other surface - water retention
properties capacity
charge

POLICY MAKERS/STAKEHOLDERS
BIOCHAR AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION
 CARBON RECOVERY AND STABILITY

Biomass
Volatile Agricultural and forestry
Compounds residues, grasses, etc Chemical

PYROLYZER
(Bioenergy) Products
C~50 C~40
C=100 C=100 PRESSURE
VESSEL

Water

C~50 C~60
Biochar
Biochar Hydrochar
Hydrochar

Rotatory drum kiln
Biochar Process Hydrochar Process Pressure reactor used for the
hydrothermal carbonization of biomass
A.B. Fuertes
Fuertes (persona communication)
et al. (unpublished)

PRODUCTION PROCESS
C recovery (%)
Corn stover HC 57
Corn stover BC 350 55
Corn stover BC 400 48
Corn stover BC 550 45
 CARBON RECOVERY AND STABILITY
Reaction Lines
2 Decarboxylation
Dehydration
Demethanation
aromatic
2 peak
CS

1.5
1
550 oC
3
(H/C) atomic ratio

4
1 HC 400 oC
350 1 Wood
6 400
7 5 2 Cellulose

3 Lignin
8
0.5 9 4 Peat
BC

10 5 Lignite 350 oC
6, 7, 8, 9 Bitum. coals
10 Anthracite
0 methoxyl C
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
O-subst. Alkyl C
(O/C) atomic ratio aromatic C
% volatiles Cdicro (%) HC
CORN STOVER 350 45 33.1

CORN STOVER 400 31 21.9

CORN STOVER 550 19 14.6

Modified from Fuertes et al. (submitted to Aust. J. Soil Res.)
CARBON RECOVERY AND STABILITY

(a) (c) (e)

(b) (d) (f)

Fuertes et al. (submitted to Aust. J. Soil Res.)

 HOW TO ACCOUNT FOR THE STABLE C?

In the context of biochar-C as a GHG mitigation activity, any amount of C

stored away from the atmosphere for at least 100 years can be computed as
a GHG mitigation benefit

tc

BCS (0)

BCS (100)

Fraction of the initial amount of biochar-C

0 100 time (years)
that is stable over 100 years
Pigneri et al. (2009)

Carbon Gold proposed methodology: (volatile C/fixed C) < 0.5  biochar assumed inert
 AVAILABLE C?
400 oC-biochar 550 oC-biochar
N2-BET
Pine
400 oC 1 m2 g-1
550 oC 368 m2 g-1

Poplar
400 oC 3 m2 g-1
550 oC 55 m2 g-1

Willow
400 oC 3 m2 g-1
550 oC 149 m2 g-1

Calvelo-Pereira et al. (NZBRC worshop-2010)

 AVAILABLE C?
pH
5.7
7.2
7.5
5.2
8.8
8.6

We cannot justify the sequestration of carbon on the

basis of the C content and stability in the biochar,
independently of the evolution of the biochar in soils
Calvelo-Pereira et al. (NZBRC worshop-2010)
PRIMING EFFECT ON NOM DECOMPOSITION?

Te Anau soils (Molloy, 1993)

Waiareka soils (Molloy, 1993)

THE ADDED VALUE OF BIOCHAR
BIOCHAR AND NZ SOILS

Woodville

Hydroponics.co.nz
SURFACE CHARGE
Simulating a rain of 1000 mm during 80 years
in the lab...
CHx, C-C/C=C
-C-OR

BS biochar + >C=O
water +HA >COOR
(c)

Intensity (a.u.)
BS biochar
+ water (b)

BS biochar
(a)

282 284 286 288 290 292 294

Binding energy (eV)

C 1s core level spectra

(Yao et al., submitted to Chemosphere)
 SURFACE CHARGE

Activating in the lab...

+ alkaline tannery waste

+ pyrolysis

C 1s core level spectra

(Hina et al., submitted to Aust. J. Soil Res.)
 SURFACE CHARGE
EU-control EU-diluted EU-concentrated

PI-control PI-diluted PI-concentrated

(Hina et al., submitted to Aust. J. Soil Res.)

 LIMING EQUIVALENCE
Umbrisol

1.8
1.6
Total HCl extractable bases (keq t-1)

R² = 0.94
1.4
1.2
1.0 pH: 5.7 – 7.2 – 7.5 – 5.2 – 8.8 – 8.6
0.8 Ash %: 2.6 – 4.0 – 5.7 – 3.1 – 6.5 – 5.2
0.6
0.4 Podzol
0.2
0.0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Lime equivalence (kg CaCO3 t-1)

(Aitkenhead et al., in preparation)

(Calvelo-Pereira et al., NZBRC workshop-2010)

NUTRIENT FERTILITY

6
Biomass (g dry weight)

5
BS (0 mg N)
4
BG (0 mg N)
3 BS (200 mg N)

2 BG (200 mg N)

0
0 5 10 15 20
Rate of application (t/ha)

(Wisnubroto et al., NZBRC workshop-2010)

 NUTRIENT FERTILITY

6
Biomass (g dry weight)

5
BS (0 mg N)
4
BG (0 mg N)
3 BS (200 mg N)

2 BG (200 mg N)

0
0 5 10 15 20
Rate of application (t/ha)

(Wisnubroto et al., NZBRC workshop-2010)

THANK YOU!!!

www.biochar.co.nz