Physicochemical Properties of Biochars Produced from Biosolids in Victoria, Australia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Biosolids
2.2. Biochars
2.3. Biosolids and Biochar Characterisation
2.3.1. General Analyses
2.3.2. Total Elements
2.3.3. Olsen P
2.3.4. DTPA-Extractable Metals
2.4. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
2.5. Statistical Analysis
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. General Properties (pH, EC, C, N, CEC, Ash, and Surface Area)
3.2. Nutrients
3.3. Heavy Metals
3.4. Significant Observations and Implications Derived from this Study
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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WwTP Location | Biosolids Production Process | Number of Years Stockpiled (Stored) 1 before Pyrolysis | Treatment (T) Grade and Contamination (C) Grade | Biosolids Drying Process |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pakenham | Waste activated sludge from primary/secondary treatment-sludge lagoon-sludge drying pan (clay biosolids storage) 1 | 3 | T1C2 | Outdoor air drying in clay-lined sludge drying pans. Biosolids inadvertently mixed with clay during the mechanical sludge drying process in the drying pans. |
3 | T1C2 | |||
Somers | Waste activated sludge from sequential batch reactors-sludge lagoon-sludge drying pan (clay biosolids storage) 1 | 3 | T1C2 | |
Boneo | Waste activated sludge from bioreactor-aerobic digester-sludge lagoon-sludge drying pan (clay biosolids storage) 1 | 2 | T1C2 | |
3 | T1C2 | |||
Waste activated sludge from bioreactor-aerobic digester-sludge lagoon-belt press-solar dryer shed (pure biosolids storage) 1 | 1 | T1C2 | Indoor air drying in concrete-lined sludge drying sheds. Biosolids without clay contamination. | |
Waste activated sludge from bioreactor-aerobic digester-sludge lagoon-belt press-solar dryer shed (pure biosolids with no storage) | 0 | T3C2 | ||
Mt Martha | Waste activated sludge from anaerobic digester-centrifuge-solar dryer shed (pure biosolids with no storage) | 0 | T3C2 |
Property | Range of Variation for BS | Range of Variation for BCL | Range of Variation for BCH | Biosolids Biochar in Other Studies |
---|---|---|---|---|
pH | 3.9–6.7 | 6.1–9.1 | 6.2–8.6 | 5.8–9.54 |
EC (dS/m) | 1.4–5.8 | 0.5–1.3 | 0.8–1.8 | 0.5–5.4 |
C (%) | 4.7–33.0 | 1.8–30.3 | 2.4–30.9 | 14–77 |
N (%) | 0.6–5.1 | 0.13–2.49 | 0.18–3.05 | 0.3–7.1 |
CEC (meq/100 g) | 11.0–53.0 | 2.9–11.0 | 4.1–11.0 | 2.3–12 |
Ash (%) | 45–65 | 55–75 | 58–73 | 26–79 |
Surface area (m2/g) | 3.9–29.7 | 25.4–136.0 | 28.3–143.0 | 4–90 |
Total K (mg/kg) | 1000–3200 | 2100–8200 | 1700–7500 | 800–6470 |
Total P (mg/kg) | 3700–25,000 | 4300–59,000 | 4000–71,000 | 66,000–124,000 |
Olsen P (mg/kg) | 180–1300 | 32–190 | 38–230 | NA |
Total Ca (mg/kg) | 3300–35,000 | 3800–92,000 | 3400–110,000 | 37,000–90,000 |
Total Mg (mg/kg) | 2000–5500 | 2500–13,000 | 2300–12,000 | 13,000–50,000 |
Total As (mg/kg) | 5.0–9.0 | 5.0–9.0 | 5.0–9.0 | 5.2–16.7 |
Total Cd (mg/kg) | 0.4–1.8 | 0.5–3.1 | 0.5–3.4 | 0.27–8.8 |
Total Cr (mg/kg) | 16–53 | 38–58 | 36–65 | 25–281 |
Total Cu (mg/kg) | 110–777 | 95–1500 | 100–1300 | 222–1000 |
Total Pb (mg/kg) | 18–48 | 25–70 | 25–72 | 54–168 |
Total Hg (mg/kg) | 0.3–1.1 | 0.05–0.05 | 0.05–0.05 | 0.01–0.40 |
Total Ni (mg/kg) | 12–25 | 20–360 | 28–120 | 0–635 |
Total Se (mg/kg) | 3–5 | 3–5 | 3–6 | 9.7–14 |
Total Zn (mg/kg) | 200–1100 | 210–2300 | 210–2300 | 250–2940 |
DTPA-Cd (mg/kg) | 0.1–1.0 | 0.01–0.17 | 0.01–0.28 | NA |
DTPA-Cu (mg/kg) | 14–475 | 25–96 | 23–70 | NA |
DTPA-Pb (mg/kg) | 0.1–4.3 | 0.2–2.0 | 0.2–0.9 | NA |
DTPA-Zn (mg/kg) | 52–555 | 7–52 | 9–89 | NA |
General Properties | BS | BCL | BCH |
---|---|---|---|
pH | 5.84 ± 0.53 a | 7.68 ± 0.55 b | 7.51 ± 0.49 b |
EC (dS/m) | 3.51 ± 0.68 a | 0.82 ± 0.12 b | 1.11 ± 0.15 c |
C (%) | 14.6 ± 5.8 a | 10.4 ± 6.1 b | 11.2 ± 6.1 b |
N (%) | 2.22 ± 0.96 a | 0.85 ± 0.53 b | 1.04 ± 0.62 b |
CEC (meq/100 g) | 28.9 ± 7.9 a | 6.9 ± 1.1 b | 6.7 ± 1.2 b |
Ash (%) | 55.22 ± 6.08 a | 65.22 ± 7.09 b | 74.60 ± 7.97 c |
Surface area (m2/g) | 15.8 ± 7.4 a | 53.7 ± 30.4 b | 54.2 ± 29.1 b |
Nutrients | BS | BCL | BCH |
---|---|---|---|
Total K | 1617 ± 713 a | 3837 ± 1758 b | 3687 ± 1691 b |
Total P | 11,975 ± 4521 a | 22,762 ± 20,364 b | 24,494 ± 23,079 b |
Olsen P | 538 ± 386 a | 105 ± 44 b | 115 ± 56 b |
Total Ca | 12,620 ± 9579 a | 14,950 ± 10,340 a | 15,230 ± 10,935 a |
Total Mg | 3219 ± 1514 a | 6244 ± 4056 b | 5969 ± 3874 b |
Metals | BS | BCL | BCH | C1 Grade 1 | C2 Grade 1 | Biochar Guidelines 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
As | 6.5 ± 1.7 a | 6.9 ± 1.8 a | 6.6 ± 1.6 a | 20 | 60 | 13–100 |
Cd | 1.18 ± 0.57 a | 1.54 ± 0.89 a | 1.71 ± 1.03 a | 1 | 10 | 1.4–39 |
Cr | 36 ± 11 a | 46 ± 6 a | 45 ± 7 a | 400 | 3,000 | 93–1200 |
Cu | 313 ± 225 a | 464 ± 445 a | 431 ± 411 a | 100 | 2,000 | 143–6000 |
Pb | 27 ± 9 a | 43 ± 16 a | 45 ± 7 a | 300 | 500 | 121–300 |
Hg | 0.79 ± 0.32 a | 0.05 ± 0.00 b | 0.13 ± 0.17 b | 1 | 5 | 1–17 |
Ni | 19 ± 4 a | 86 ± 94 b | 58 ± 39 b | 60 | 270 | 47–420 |
Se | 3.6 ± 0.9 a | 3.5 ± 0.7 a | 4.0 ± 1.0 a | 3 | 50 | 2–200 |
Zn | 552 ± 360 a | 913 ± 817 a | 888 ± 803 a | 200 | 2500 | 416–7400 |
DTPA-Extractable Metals | BS | BCL | BCH |
---|---|---|---|
Cd | 0.491 ± 0.153 a | 0.056 ± 0.028 b | 0.080 ± 0.048 b |
Cu | 128 ± 76 a | 45 ± 12 b | 42 ± 9 b |
Pb | 1.44 ± 0.63 a | 0.72 ± 0.28 b | 0.51 ± 0.14 b |
Zn | 231 ± 81 a | 26 ± 9 b | 37 ± 15 b |
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Yang, Y.; Meehan, B.; Shah, K.; Surapaneni, A.; Hughes, J.; Fouché, L.; Paz-Ferreiro, J. Physicochemical Properties of Biochars Produced from Biosolids in Victoria, Australia. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 1459. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph15071459
Yang Y, Meehan B, Shah K, Surapaneni A, Hughes J, Fouché L, Paz-Ferreiro J. Physicochemical Properties of Biochars Produced from Biosolids in Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15(7):1459. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph15071459
Chicago/Turabian StyleYang, Yumeng, Barry Meehan, Kalpit Shah, Aravind Surapaneni, Jeff Hughes, Leon Fouché, and Jorge Paz-Ferreiro. 2018. "Physicochemical Properties of Biochars Produced from Biosolids in Victoria, Australia" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 7: 1459. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph15071459