Greenhouse gas emissions and soil properties following amendment with manure-derived biochars: Influence of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type

Raghunath Subedi; Natalie Taupe; Simone Pelissetti; Laura Petruzzelli; Chiara Bertora; James J Leahy; Carlo Grignani

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.10.007

Greenhouse gas emissions and soil properties following amendment with manure-derived biochars: Influence of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type

J Environ Manage. 2016 Jan 15:166:73-83. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.10.007. Epub 2015 Oct 24.

Authors

Raghunath Subedi¹, Natalie Taupe², Simone Pelissetti³, Laura Petruzzelli³, Chiara Bertora³, James J Leahy², Carlo Grignani³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Plassey Park Rd., Castletroy, Co., Limerick, Ireland. Electronic address: raghunath.subedi@unito.it.
² Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Plassey Park Rd., Castletroy, Co., Limerick, Ireland.
³ Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.

PMID: 26484602
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.10.007

Abstract

Manure-derived biochars can offer a potential option for the stabilization of manure, while mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration and the attenuation of nitrous oxide emission. A laboratory incubation study was conducted to assess the effects of four different manure-derived biochars produced from different feedstocks (poultry litter and swine manure) at different temperatures (400 or 600 °C). A commonly available standard wood chip biochar, produced at a greater temperature (1000 °C), and non-amended treatments were used as references. Two different soils (sandy and silt-loam) were amended with 2% (w/w) biochar on a dry soil weight basis (corresponding to 20 Mg ha(-1)), with the soil moisture being adjusted to 75% saturation level. After a pre-incubation period (21 days), 170 kg N ha(-1) of NH4NO3 fertilizer was added. Measurements of CO2, N2O, CH4 emissions and soil N mineralisation were carried out on different days during the 85 days of incubation. The net C mineralization and N2O emissions from both soils amended with poultry litter biochar at 400 °C were significantly greater than the other biochar treatments. Nitrate availability was greater in both soils in which the manure-derived biochar was used instead of the standard biochar. All of the biochars increased the pH of the silt-loam, sub-acid soil, but failed to improve the cation exchange capacities (CEC) in either soil. Total C and N, P, K and Mg (except Ca) were significantly increased in the manure-derived biochar amended soils, compared to the Control, and were positively correlated to the biochar nutrient contents. This study indicates that the soil application of biochar engenders effects that can vary considerably according to the biochar properties, as determined on the basis of the feedstock types and process conditions. Low-temperature biochar production from manure represents a possible way of producing a soil amendment that can stabilize C while supplying a significant quantity of nutrients.

Keywords: Biochar; C sequestration; Feedstock; Greenhouse gases; Nitrate leaching; Physico-chemical properties; Pyrolysis temperature.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Carbon Dioxide / analysis*
Charcoal / chemistry*
Climate Change
Fertilizers / analysis*
Manure / analysis*
Nitrates
Nitrous Oxide / analysis*
Soil / chemistry*
Temperature
Wood / chemistry

Substances

Fertilizers
Manure
Nitrates
Soil
biochar
Carbon Dioxide
Charcoal
Nitrous Oxide