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Biochar - A Natural and Sustainable Fuel
Biochar is a natural and sustainable fuel that has been in use for more than 2,500 years. It is a zero-waste solution that also contributes to climate change mitigation. It is a soil conditioner that is used in agriculture and horticulture to improve crop yields, as well as enhance the environment and human health.

The most common method of producing biochar is the pyrolysis process where biomasses such as wood, agricultural residues and waste, and urban organic waste are heated without oxygen in a specially designed furnace. What remains is a carbon-rich charcoal that retains the majority of the nutrients and minerals that were originally in the biomass. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and makes it an excellent carbon sink.

It is a great way to turn biomass into fuel while reducing the risk of poisoning the environment with airborne pollutants, and it is a low-cost option for creating clean, renewable energy that can be used locally. The process can be done in a centralized plant or by individual farmers using a mobile kiln.

In addition to its ability to absorb water and nutrient chemicals, biochar can adsorb a wide variety of heavy metals and trace elements that are naturally present in soils. It will hold these chemicals and allow them to gradually disperse over time as the biochar ages in the soil.

Besides its adsorption properties, biochars have other important characteristics and potential applications such as carbon sequestration in soil and a catalyst for the conversion of biogas to electricity. It is possible to vary the physicochemical properties of biochars by modifying their thermal treatments or by treating them with a variety of metals (e.g., Mg, Fe, Ca, Al) prior to pyrolysis.

The chemical composition of the materials that are used for pyrolysis influences its physicochemical properties, particularly its porosity and the adsorptive capacity. The porosity of a biochar can be increased by increasing its heating rate or temperature [44,78]. In general, the higher the temperature, the more porous the resulting biochar is. In addition, it is possible to enhance the adsorption properties of biochar by exposing the surfaces of the resulting chars to high pressure and by adding salts, such as nitrate or chloride salts, before pyrolysis [78].

When biochar is applied to a soil, it can change its composition significantly. For example, biochar can increase the electrical conductivity of the soil by absorbing dissolved organic carbon and nutrient ions from the water entering its pores. biochar vendita It can also reduce the Eh of the soil (Joseph et al., 2015).

If biochar is adsorbed in a soil that has been contaminated by heavy metals, the toxic elements will be chemically bound to the char and no longer be available for plants to eat. This increases the overall fertility of the soil and reduces cadmium, lead and mercury concentrations in soil.

Unlike fertilizers, which are rapidly released and run off into groundwater, biochar holds nutrients and chemicals until they are needed again. This decreases fertilizer runoff and agrochemical use, which lowers greenhouse gas emissions. It also promotes microbial growth and root development, which leads to healthier and more productive crops.
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