Characterization of Biochar Empty Fruit Bunches OPEFB at Various Temperatures and Burning Time

Abstract

Oil palm waste (OPW), comprising mainly of empty fruit bunch, mesocarp fiber, frond, trunk, and palm kernel shell generated from the palm oil industry, was collected, characterized, and then pyrolyzed to evaluate their potential to be converted into biochar. Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (OPEFB) are a source of organic material with abundant nutrients and are highly potentially useful as biochar. This article provides experimental data for the production of biochar at a temperature range of 100 to 300 °C at time of 4 to 8 hours. The chemical components examined are pH, CEC, C-Organic, N-total, C/N, K dd, P, Ca, Mg, and Na, using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that organic C, nitrogen, and pH were highest at 200–300 °C and had a burning time of 8 hours. Furthermore, the highest concentrations of P, Ca, and Mg were recorded at 200–300°C after 5 hours, Kdd at 100–200 °C after 5 hours, and Na and CEC at 200–300 °C after 4 hours. The transmittance intensity produced by the spectrum of hydroxyl (O-H) vibrations, carbonyl stretching (C=O), alkanes (-CH), and aromatics (C=C) decreased with increasing time, while stretching alcohol (C-O) vibrations increased with time. Our results demonstrate that OPEB is a biowaste that shows exceptional promise to be transformed into high-grade biochar rather than simply disposed of by landfilling or burning.