A review of the potentiality of biochar technology to abate emissions of particulate matter originating from agriculture

Abstract

Agricultural operations and processes generate copious quantities of particulate matter (PM) both directly and indirectly through emissions of PM precursor gases with dire consequences for human health, environment and climate. PM emissions from agricultural activities are projected to continually rise in the light of soaring food demand driven by a ballooning global population, and thus, plausible measures are needed to combat them. Recently, interest in using biochar to attenuate PM emissions of agricultural origin, especially the secondary PM precursors, has gained traction and this review study is purposed to examine the capacity of the technology to curb the agricultural-related PM emissions basing on observations made in the previously concluded studies. The study gives a brief overview of the effects of PM and delineates its weighty agricultural sources plus detailing whether and how the pyrolysis technology and biochar as its product can help to alleviate the emissions. Additional discussions address the looming dilemma of biochar applications becoming a PM emission problem and the techniques that should be applied to ensure its sustainable usage. It is overwhelmingly clear from the studies reviewed that pyrolysis and resultant biochar have an enormous potential to attenuate PM from agriculture if adequately utilised.