Commercial Charcoal Research Articles

Empirical evidence of the impact of commercial charcoal production on Woodland in the Forest-Savannah transition zone, Ghana

Abstract The impacts of charcoal production on woodland were assessed in the Forest-Savannah Transition Zone of Ghana to facilitate policy formulation for a win-win situation for both sustainable woodland management and charcoal production. Twenty-three harvested sites in two charcoal producing communities were assessed in terms of the extent of harvested sites, changes in biomass carbon stock and tree basal area. The boundary of each site earmarked for charcoal production was mapped with a hand-held Global Positioning System, and the diameters at breast height ( d bh ) and the heights of trees of d bh ≥ 5 cm were measured, prior to harvest. The extent of harvested sites was compared with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change criterion of “devegetation” using Wilcoxon test, while the biomass carbon and basal area of the harvested trees were compared with those of the remnant trees using Mann Whitney t-test. The median of the extent of harvested sites ( M = 0.23 ha, P = 1.00) was significantly higher than 0.05 ha, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change minimum criterion for “devegetation”, while the difference between median basal area of harvested and remnant trees was significantly greater than zero (G h − G r = 2.6 m 2 ha −1 ; P = 0.001) at 95% significant level. The Mann Whitney test also provided sufficient evidence (n = 23; M hc − M rc = 12.07 t ha − 1 ; P per se . Therefore, the evidence of the impact of charcoal production on woodlands shown in this study should be basis for sustainable woodlands management and not basis for halting charcoal production in the study area.

The effect of pruning waste and biochar addition on brown peat based growing media properties

Abstract Peat is a crucial carbon sink in the terrestrial ecosystem, but it is jeopardized by its use as fuel or as growing media. In the last years, much research has been performed aiming to find high quality and low cost substrates from different organic wastes in order to decrease peat consumption. Biochar is a carbon-rich material that has attracted important research as soil amendment. However, its potential utilization as peat substitute for growing media formulation remains less well explored. The main objective of this work was to study the effect on peat based growing media of pruning waste (PW) and three biochars: a commercial charcoal (CC), biochar from slow pyrolysis of PW at 300 °C (B300) and 500 °C (B500) added at different ratios. The chemical properties of some mixtures were adequate as growing media materials. Hydrophysical properties of peat changed with biochar and pruning waste additions. B500 and CC additions (in 50 and 75 vol%) increased air space volume. All mixtures showed lower water holding capacities than peat and only mixtures with B500 lead to adequate holding capacity and porosity values for substrate materials. Finally, lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) was grown in the different substrates and, after 5 weeks, the results have shown that lettuce biomass was substantially higher with peat plus biochar samples obtained from pyrolysis of pruning waste at 300 and especially 500 °C than with peat alone. Our results imply that pruning residue biochar can be an improved growing media as peat substitute for soilless vegetable production.

Emissions of air pollutants from indoor charcoal barbecue

Ten types of commercial charcoal commonly used in Taiwan were investigated to study the potential health effects of air pollutants generated during charcoal combustion in barbecue restaurants. The charcoal samples were combusted in a tubular high-temperature furnace to simulate the high-temperature charcoal combustion in barbecue restaurants. The results indicated that traditional charcoal has higher heating value than green synthetic charcoal. The amount of PM10 and PM2.5 emitted during the smoldering stage increased when the burning temperature was raised. The EF for CO and CO2 fell within the range of 68-300 and 644-1225 g/kg, respectively. Among the charcoals, the lowest EF for PM2.5 and PM10 were found in Binchōtan (B1). Sawdust briquette charcoal (I1S) emitted the smallest amount of carbonyl compounds. Charcoal briquettes (C2S) emitted the largest amount of air pollutants during burning, with the EF for HC, PM2.5, PM10, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde being the highest among the charcoals studied. The emission of PM2.5, PM10, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde were 5-10 times those of the second highest charcoal. The results suggest that the adverse effects of the large amounts of air pollutants generated during indoor charcoal combustion on health and indoor air quality must not be ignored.

Mass flow and variability in screw feeding of biomass powders — Relations to particle and bulk properties

Biomass powders often have high cohesiveness, low bulk density and poor material flow characteristics which cause interruptions and variations in feeding systems. In this study, a range of biomasse ...

Estimation of Brazilian charcoal properties using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry coupled with multivariate analysis

The aim of the present work was to estimate fixed-carbon, volatile matter and ash contents in Brazilian commercial charcoal.

Batch sorption of iron complex dye, naphthol green B, from wastewater on charcoal, kaolinite, and tafla

The effective removal of dyes from industrial wastewater is one of the most important issues for many industrialized countries. Dyes are commonly used in many industries to color the final products, in chemical and radiochemical laboratories for analytical purposes. The feasibility of using commercial charcoal and two important and common clay minerals, kaolinite, and tafla, as low-cost adsorbents for removal of iron complex dye has been investigated by batch technique. The effects of solution pH, equilibration time, initial dye concentration, and temperature have been studied and discussed. The obtained results have indicated that the sorption is rapid and acidic pH is favorable for the sorption of naphthol green B. The results of adsorption experiments indicate that the monolayer capacity of naphthol green B dye at equilibrium is 232.56, 25.80, and 23.86 mg g −1 for charcoal, kaolinite, and tafla, respectively. The amount of dye removed increased with increasing temperature, which indicates the endothermic nature of the sorption process. The parameters can be used for designing a plant for treatment of wastewater economically.

Evaluation of solid fuel char briquettes from human waste.

The developing world faces dual crises of escalating energy demand and lack of urban sanitation infrastructure that pose significant burdens on the environment. This article presents results of a study evaluating the feasibility of using human feces-derived char as a solid fuel for heating and cooking and a potential way to address both crises. The study determined the energy content and the elemental composition of chars pyrolyzed at 300, 450, and 750 °C. Fecal chars made at 300 °C were found to be similar in energy content to wood chars and bituminous coal, having a heating value of 25.6 ± 0.08 MJ/kg, while fecal chars made at 750 °C had an energy content of 13.8 ± 0.48 MJ/kg. The higher heating values of the studied chars were evaluated using their elemental composition and a published predictive model; results found good agreement between the measured and predicted values. Fecal chars made at low temperatures were briquetted with molasses/lime and starch binders. Briquettes made with 10% starch had an average impact resistance index of 79 and a higher heating value of 25 MJ/kg. These values are comparable to those of commercial charcoal briquettes, making fecal char briquettes a potential substitute that also contributes to the preservation of the environment.

Sorbent extraction behavior of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100, onto commercial charcoal from low level radioactive waste

In nuclear power plants and nuclear laboratories, laundry wastewater is generated from decontaminating polluted instruments, worker’s clothes and taking shower after work. Laundry wastewater contains radionuclides and surfactants. The surfactants included in laundry wastewater affect the extraction of radionuclides. Therefore, surfactants should be removed before extraction of radionuclides. The objective of the present work is to assess the ability of commercial charcoal for the removal of nonionic surfactants, where, commercial charcoal is a commonly available adsorbent for treatment. Charcoal was characterized using different analytical techniques. The isotherm models and thermodynamic parameters were evaluated. Charcoal was applied to the removal of surfactant from liquid radioactive waste. The data obtained can be used for designing a plant for treatment of surfactant rich water and wastewater economically.

The Impacts of Changes in Land Use on Woodlands in an Equatorial African Savanna

AbstractSavanna landscapes are vitally important in providing both ecological and economic services that sustain local livelihoods and national economies, particularly for sub‐Saharan African countries whose economies are mainly agrarian. Development prospects in savanna landscapes are however dependent on actions to avoid and to slow or reverse degradation and that are aided with a clear understanding of trends in land use/cover changes, their causes and implications for conservation. We analysed land use/cover changes based on three Landsat satellite images (1984, 1995 and 2000/2001) and the influence of human utilization on the changes in an equatorial African savanna, central Uganda, for the period 1984–2000/2001. The land cover classification and change analysis clearly identified the dominant land cover types, revealing a severe reduction in woodland cover with dense woodlands decreasing by 64%, over a 17‐year period. Consequently, medium woodland, open woodland and cultivation/settlements areas cover increased by 31%, 3% and 80%, respectively. The cover change analysis results were corroborated with interview results that also attributed the woodland cover loss to increasing commercial charcoal production, expanding livestock grazing, subsistence crop cultivation and an insecure land use tenure system. Indeed, the major land use types in the savanna are charcoal production, shifting crop cultivation and livestock rearing. The decreasing woody vegetation cover threatens the savanna's ability to continue providing ecosystems services to support the livelihoods of people who mainly depend on natural resources and are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Preparation and Characterization of Moso Bamboo Charcoal Modified with Nitric Acid

The surface properties of a commercial moso bamboo charcoal had been selectively modified by means of acidic treatment, using HNO3 with the concentrations of 17%, 34%, and 68% (w/w) respectively at 25°C for 8 hours. The iodine number, moisture content of all samples were tested, and the results showed that the iodine number of modified samples decreased slightly, while the moisture content increased sharply compared with raw sample, the sample modified with 68% HNO3 got the most remarkable change of above parameters. The Boehm titration、FTIR and SEM were also introduced to characterize the surface properties of raw and modified samples, the results revealed that the amount of surface functional groups, including various oxygen-containing and a few nitrogen-containing groups increased significantly of modified samples, the surface became more coarse and a large amount of fine fragment was yielded in pore space and vascular bundle of modified samples because of the corrosion behaviour of HNO3 in the modification process.

숯가마에서 발생하는 대기오염물질의 배출특성에 관한 현장조사 연구

The commercial charcoal kiln was projected the largest source of biomass burning sector in Korea. Commercial charcoal kiln was operated to emit air pollutants into the air without any air pollution prevention equipment. The object of this field survey was to understand characteristics of air pollutants concentration and emission factors and to provide preliminary data for effective processor from oak charcoal manufacturing process. As result of field survey, TSP, <TEX>$PM_{10}$</TEX> and <TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX> concentration from charcoal kiln were 400~37,000 <TEX>$mg/m^3$</TEX>. These values were over the 100 <TEX>$mg/m^3$</TEX> in TSP, this value was effluent quality standard of Clean Air Conservation Act. The average concentration of CO, <TEX>$SO_2$</TEX> and TVOC were 2~5%. 0~110 ppm and 820~10,000 ppm respectively. The emission factors were 42.4 g-PM/kg-oak in TSP, 40.3 g-PM/kg-oak in <TEX>$PM_{10}$</TEX>, 38.2 g-PM/kg-oak in <TEX>$PM_{2.5}$</TEX>, 182.5 g-CO/kg-oak, 1.0 g-NO/kg-oak, <TEX>$SO_2$</TEX> 0.2 g-<TEX>$SO_2/kg$</TEX>-oak and 104.4 g-TVOC/kg-oak. The part of commercial charcoal kiln had air pollution prevention equipment but it was difficult to work properly. Much wood tar excreted in exhaust emissions from oak charcoal manufacturing process. This wood tar was cause of many troubles sticking in the air pollutant prevention equipment. For handling particulate matters and gaseous air pollutants from oak charcoal manufacturing process in biomass burning, air pollutant prevention equipment design and management needs preprocessor for removal wood tar.

Leakage effects in natural resource supply chains: a case study from the Peruvian commercial charcoal market

Wood charcoal is generally viewed as a rudimentary form of energy. It is often understood in terms of its role of providing rural poor populations with basic energy needs, and/or the contribution its production makes to local forest degradation. More recently, the potentially much larger impact of urban demands on natural resources is attracting attention. Rural/urban supply chains are becoming an important research focus as nations try to start aligning with international environmental agreements by providing more honest environmental data regarding deforestation and associated emissions. This paper presents results from quantitative and qualitative research investigating the commercial charcoal supply chain servicing the metropolitan area of Lima, the capital of Peru. Long-term conservation initiatives protecting the species algarrobo (Prosopis spp.) were found to have caused a leakage effect in which the species shihuahuaco (Dipteryx spp.) from the Amazon region of Ucayali is compensating for the reduced production of algarrobo charcoal. Charcoal production in the urban area of Pucallpa, Ucayali is estimated to be more than eighty times the official figures, the vast majority of which goes to service the thousands of chicken brasseries in Lima. Commercial Amazonian charcoal is produced predominantly from sawmill by-product, and thus not found to be a direct threat to the rainforest. However, reduced availability of the by-product of the preferred species shihuahuaco to charcoal producers raises concern that this species is being heavily overexploited in the region.

Removal of Remazol Red from Textile Waste Water Using Treated Sawdust - An Effective Way of Effluent Treatment

Activated carbon prepared from sawdust is endeavored as adsorbent for the removal of reactive dye, namely Remazol Red (RR) from aqueous media. The adsorption of RR has been studied onto activated sawdust at various particle size, adsorbent dose, temperature and pH values. The adsorptions of the above mentioned dye were designed for the Langmuir and Freundlich Isotherms. Pseudo first and second order kinetic models were used to calculate the amount adsorbed at equilibrium (q&lt;sub&gt;e&lt;/sub&gt;). The calculated values of qe for pseudo-second order equation were found to be in good agreement with those of experimental values. The monolayer capacity (qm) for treated sawdust (8.00 mg g–1) is greater than commercial charcoal (0.074 mg g–1). It is established that treated sawdust has been used as a better adsorbent for the removal of RR as compared to commercial charcoal. This process may eventually be used to get industrial waste free purified water. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bpj.v16i1.14501 Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 16(1): 93-98, 2013

Changing land management: A case study of charcoal production among a group of pastoral women in northern Tanzania

Abstract Challenging economic and environmental conditions, coupled with increasing population, have led to changes in the priorities and activities of rural Africans. In Tanzania's savanna woodlands a growing dependency on non-farm extractive activities such as firewood supply and charcoal production is placing increasing pressure on local resources. Although the actual impact that fuelwood consumption has on tree cover is neither well documented nor completely understood, deforestation due to extractive practices for commercial charcoal sales has the potential to have a particularly profound impact on semi-arid savanna systems in Tanzania where forest and bush regeneration are especially slow. This study investigates land use conflicts and recent changes that have led to major shifts in resource management and use associated with the extraction of fuelwood for charcoal production in the Maasai village of Engikareti in northern Tanzania where charcoal serves as a cash crop for a growing number of women. In 2005, more than 200 women (four to six percent of the village population) removed an estimated 4000 trees to provide subsistence income for their families. Population growth, drought, social and economic marginalization, and a lack of other marketable resources are factors leading to rapidly increasing rates of extraction. While demand for fuelwood for charcoal production is unlikely to deplete forest cover on a large scale over the short term, imbalances between the patterns of demand and availability foreshadow potential localized scarcities and the degradation of savanna vegetation.

Biochar and soil nitrous oxide emissions

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of biochar application on soil nitrous oxide emissions. The experiment was carried out in pots under greenhouse conditions. Four levels of ground commercial charcoal of 2 mm (biochar) were evaluated in a sandy Albaqualf (90% of sand): 0, 3, 6, and 9 Mg ha-1. All treatments received 100 kg ha-1 of N as urea. A cubic effect of biochar levels was observed on the N2O emissions. Biochar doses above 5 Mg ha-1 started to mitigate the emissions in the evaluated soil. However, lower doses promote the emissions.

Commercial Charcoal Production and Sustainable Community Development of the Upper West Region, Ghana

Policy discussions have suggested a complete ban on charcoal production and the introduction of substitutes to meet the energy needs of the growing number of consumers. These discussions are fuelled by the effects of the charcoal industry’s activitities on the environment. On the contrary, the authors of this paper highlight the need to sustain the charcoal industry in the Upper West Region of Ghana. This conclusion was arrived at through an analysis of the charcoal industry’s role in economic development of some communities in the Upper West Region. Data gathered from 500 commercial charcoal producers and 50 charcoal buyers indicated that commercial charcoal production is a major source of livelihood. While charcoal producers earned monthly incomes of about GH¢200, the buyers’ earned between GH¢82 - 2 343 per month. Despite its economic importance, the industry’s environmental problems are enormous. These were attributed to the extraction of raw materials, mainly live trees, from the natural forest without replacement. The authors concluded that the way forward towards sustainable economic development through charcoal production lies in the adoption of efficient charcoal production technologies.

Commercial Charcoal Production in the Ibarapa District of Southwestern Nigeria: Forestry Dividends and Welfare Implications

Logging activities have long provided both wood fuel and charcoal for household and commercial use in rural and urban communities in developing countries. However, logging problems range from deforestation to threatened household air quality from burning wood and charcoal. This exploratory case study triangulated 15 in-depth interviews among charcoal bulk buyers and the workers, observations of workers at two èédú (charcoal) commercial depots in Igbo-Ora and of workers in the forest, and review of studies in academic database. Three categories of people are working in the business ranging from the producers in the forests (alaake) to the bulk buyers (olowo) in the middle and the wholesalers (ajagunta) in the city. A small team of 4-8 people can produce three pickup truck loads of charcoal in 2 weeks, and a large team between 7-8 loads. The olowo and the alaake have associations, membership cards, and meet to discuss business progress and regulate members' economic behavior. Close to 35,000 bags of charcoal of 450 pickup trucks may make the journey weekly from Ibarapa. Overall, the charcoal business is informal, and the local people also frown at cutting any useful indigenous trees ascertaining that an individual's actions may affect the whole community. The role of community health educators is important in the dissemination of effects of deforestation through charcoal production.

Vacuum pyrolysis of intruder plant biomasses

Biomass from three invasive plant species of the Western Karoo region in South Africa, namely Kraalbos, Schotzbos and Asbos, was treated by vacuum pyrolysis. The influence of temperature, pyrolysis time, pressure and initial moisture content on the bio-oil and charcoal yields were investigated. Asbos with the largest ash content, 19.9 wt.%, gave chars with an ash content between 40 wt.% and 44 wt.% making it difficult to use commercially. Vacuum pyrolysis of Kraalbos resulted in producing a biochar with a HHV of 23.0–25.5 MJ/kg and an ash content of 13–19 wt.% which compared favourable with commercial charcoal. The bio-oils from both Kraalbos and Schotzbos showed promise as potential heating oil with a HHV of 21.6–26.9 MJ/kg. The tarry phase contained a number of phenolic compounds that can be separated and shows promise as a feedstock for upgrading. Finally ageing which acts on the lignocellulosic structure of biomasses decreased the charcoal and oil yields from the vacuum pyrolysis of intruder plants.

Analysis of Acrylonitrile and alpha-Methacrylonitrile in Vapor Phase of Mainstream Cigarette Smoke Using a Charcoal Trap for Collection

Abstract A simple procedure for the collection of vapor phase (VP) of mainstream cigarette smoke for analysis has been developed. This procedure consists of collecting the VP on a commercial charcoal trap (ORBO™-32) followed by dissolution in acetone. The acetone extract can be analyzed by a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique. A qualitative analysis of the collected VP has been performed for 3R4F Kentucky reference cigarette, allowing the identification of 138 compounds, some compounds being present in both VP and in particulate phase (PP) of cigarette smoke. A quantitative analysis method for acrylonitrile and α-methacrylonitrile (2-methyl-2-propenenitrile) was also developed, and the level of these compounds in 15 different cigarette brands was measured. Acrylonitrile quantitation was selected since this compound in smoke poses significant health related issues. α-Methacrylonitrile quantitation was selected due to the similar structure of this compound with acrylonitrile. The analyzed cigarettes were several Kentucky reference cigarettes including 1R5F, 2R4F, 3R4F, 2R1F, and 1R3F, several King Size (KS) commercial cigarettes from the US market including Basic Non Filter (NF), Basic Ultra Lights (UL), Newport, Marlboro (Red), Marlboro Menthol, Camel Filter, Camel Lights, Camel Ultra Lights, and two herbal cigarettes, Ecstasy and Dreams. The results for acrylonitrile were in very good agreement with data reported in the literature for 2R4F and 1R5F cigarettes. The levels of α-methacrylonitrile were not previously reported. The correlation between the levels of acrylonitrile and of α-methacrylonitrile with the (wet) total particulate matter (TPM) was evaluated. Although the levels of acrylonitrile and of α-methacrylonitrile in mainstream smoke depend on the TPM values, the correlation is not very strong, indicating that the nature of the cigarette blend and possible other factors in cigarette construction also influence their levels in smoke. The collection method used in this study allows the subsequent dissolution of VP in a much smaller volume of solvent compared to other methods that use impingers, allows the use of standard GC/MS autosamplers for liquid injection and simple addition of internal standards compared to the methods that use gas bags, and allows a simple and immediate collection of VP as it leaves the Cambridge filter pad. These characteristics represent significant advantages versus other methods commonly used for VP analysis.

Simplified life cycle sustainability assessment of mangrove management: a case of plantation on wastelands in Thailand

Abstract Sustainable mangrove management needs to consider trade-offs between multiple benefits provided by mangrove ecosystems and to balance the conflicting objectives of various stakeholders. The aim of the present study is to assess the sustainability of mangrove management based on the life cycle approach. We examine two mangrove management systems in Thailand, namely, the strict preservation and charcoal production systems. The results show that the strict preservation system has an advantage over the charcoal production system from the environmental perspective (the net amount of CO 2 absorbed by mangroves) while the charcoal production is a more favorable system than strict preservation from the social perspective (the amount of employment created in local communities). On the other hand, it is difficult to say that both systems are sustainable from an economic aspect. The charcoal production system needs to develop improved management regimes for commercial charcoal production and requires financial assistance in the period when its net cash flows are negative. As solutions for these problems, the introduction of community forest management and the utilization of a fund for REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in Developing Countries) can be proposed.