Quality Variations of Poultry Litter Biochar Generated at Different Pyrolysis Conditions

Excessive land application of poultry litter has been linked to eutrophication, pathogen contamination, nuisances, fish death, and other negative effects on human and animal health. Pyrolysis of poultry litter can produce nutrient-rich biochar while killing off any present microbes that would trigger negative environmental health effects. Poultry litter (PL) biochar has a number of distinguishing features such as higher nutrient content and higher cation exchange capacity (CEC). PL biochar retains positive aspects that all biochar and PL possesses. It can be applied as soil amendments to improve soil quality. The main objects of this research are to investigate how PL biochar production conditions such as temperature, different source of PL, different bedding material affect the final biochar yield, and properties of biochar. Morphology of PL biochar was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). EDS materials analysis was used to determine chemical elements in poultry litter biochar and O/C ratio were studied.