Valorization of the poultry litter through wet torrefaction and different activation treatments

P J Arauzo; P A Maziarka; M P Olszewski; R L Isemin; N S Muratova; F Ronsse; A Kruse

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139288

Valorization of the poultry litter through wet torrefaction and different activation treatments

Sci Total Environ. 2020 Aug 25:732:139288. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139288. Epub 2020 May 11.

Authors

P J Arauzo¹, P A Maziarka², M P Olszewski³, R L Isemin⁴, N S Muratova⁴, F Ronsse², A Kruse³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Conversion Technologies of Biobased Resources, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 9, DE-70599 Stuttgart, Germany. Electronic address: pabloj.arauzo@uni-hohenheim.de.
² Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
³ Department of Conversion Technologies of Biobased Resources, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 9, DE-70599 Stuttgart, Germany.
⁴ Biocenter, Biocenter, Tambov State Technical University, Sovetskaya street, 106, Tambov 392000, Russia.

PMID: 32438182
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139288

Abstract

The increase in volume in bio-waste is inseparable from the production of biomass derived commodities. To reduce the use of conventional resources, the valorization of waste streams is gaining importance, and the valorisation of poultry litter fits perfectly into such scheme. This study shows a possible valorization of wet torrefied (300 °C) poultry litter (WTPL) through activation and its further use as a fertilizer, and as a wastewater micro-pollutant absorbent. The WTPL was activated thermally, physically (CO2) and chemically (KOH) at two different temperatures (600 °C and 800 °C) and 30 min residence time. The properties of ACs were evaluated based on results of the elemental and proximate analysis, suspension pH measurement, ICP-OES, FT-IR, N2 and CO2 adsorption and quantity of absorbed methylene blue (MB). The yields in thermal and physical ACs were comparable, but much higher than ACs from chemical activation (c.a. 50% and 15% at 600 °C and c.a. 47% and 6.5% at 800 °C). The thermal and physical ACs showed good suitability for application as a fertilizer due to their high macro- and micro-nutrients and low heavy metals concentration. Carbons activated with KOH proved their usefulness as wastewater pollutant absorbers through high MB's absorption (675.8 mg/g for 600 °C and 872.8 mg/g for 800 °C). Results state that the valorization of PL through activation is possible, and the selection of the activation method affects the final application of obtained material.

Keywords: Activated carbon; Chemical activation; Physical activation; Poultry litter; Water treatment; Wet torrefaction.