Abstract
Details regarding field decomposition and transformation of biochar in Malaysia are scarce. The objectives of this study were to investigate the physico-chemical changes experienced by Jatropha pod biochar (JPB) in acidic mineral soil under field condition. Elemental composition was determined using CHNS-O analyzer and surface area with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The JPB surface chemistry and structure were studied using the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and 13C solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, respectively. The JPB short-term decomposition was investigated by using a litter bag study and decomposition data were best fitted by a hyperbolic decay model compared to an exponential decay model because no significant dry weight loss was detected after 4 months. Two phases (volatile and near stagnant) were detected for JPB field decomposition. The volatile phase was due to rapid loss of labile fraction such as carbohydrate during the initial 4 months. The near stagnant phase was probably due to adsorption of organic matter and soil minerals. The JPB was fragmented into smaller pieces, encouraging surface adsorption. Redox reaction was prominent as shown by the production of hydroxyl, carboxylic and phenolic functional groups. The JPB became more recalcitrant after 12 months of application to the soils.
Highlights
Biochar is recognized as C sequester due to its stability and long resident time in soil
Raw Jatropha pod (RJP) feedstock was obtained from the Jatropha planting field of UPM
The infrared spectral properties of Jatropha pod biochar (JPB) were determined by Perkin-Elmer Spectrum 100 Spectrometer with a Perkin-Elmer Universal Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) sampling accessory
Summary
Biochar is recognized as C sequester due to its stability and long resident time in soil. Reference [6] reported Fe, Al and Si coatings on biochar that has been to soil for 10 years This indicates possible complexation and bridging between negatively charged biochar and the positively charged minerals. These interactions rendered biochar biologically unavailable due to the occupied surface and pores, protecting the biochar from chemical degradation. The near stagnant phase was due to the recalcitrant fraction of biochar that lasts for decades or hundreds of years. This fraction arises from stable chemical structure derived from high temperature restructuring during the pyrolysis process. The decomposition of the biochar was fitted to a decay model
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