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Characterization of pig manure-derived hydrochars for their potential application as fertilizer

  • Environmental functions of biochar
  • Published:
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Abstract

In China, intensive pig farming has led to serious environmental issues with the need to dispose off large quantities of pig manure. Chinese agriculture relies on high inputs of chemical fertilizers leading to gradual decreasing organic matter contents in many arable soils. We propose that hydrochars produced from pig manure could potentially replace chemical fertilizers and, at the same time, resolve the waste disposal problem. The hydrochars used in this study were produced from pig manure at five different pyrolysis temperatures ranging between 160 and 240 °C and three residence times (1, 5, and 8 h). All hydrochars were assessed for composition of major elements. Results showed that the yield and organic matter (OM) contents in hydrochars were 50–74% and 40–56%, respectively. The concentrations of total nitrogen (N), potassium (K2O), and OM in the hydrochar decreased, whereas contents of phosphorus (P2O5), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) increased with increasing reaction temperature and time. Hydrothermal carbonization of pig manure is a rapid method for transforming pig manure into an organic fertilizer, but it is necessary to assess the potential soil contamination risk of Cu and Zn for the pig manure hydrochar as organic fertilizer.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Science and Technology Cooperation Project (2014DFE90040), Key Innovation Team Project of Zhejiang Province, China (2013TD12), the Natural Science Foundation of China (41501341; 21577131), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation, China (Y16D010036, LZ15D010001), the Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation, China (2017A030311019), and the Special Funding for the Introduced Innovative R&D Team of Dongguan (2014607101003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, Hangzhou, 311300, China

    Chengfang Song, Shengdao Shan, Shengchun Wu, Ying Shen & Dan Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, China

    Shengdao Shan

  3. The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Ruakura Research Centre, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

    Karin Müller

  4. Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Nabeel Khan Niazi

  5. MARUM and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Nabeel Khan Niazi

  6. Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia

    Nabeel Khan Niazi

  7. School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, China

    Song Xu & Hailong Wang

  8. Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Soil- and Groundwater-Management, University of Wuppertal, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany

    Jörg Rinklebe

  9. Guangdong Dazhong Agriculture Science Co. Ltd, Hongmei Town, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523169, China

    Hailong Wang

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  1. Chengfang Song
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  2. Shengdao Shan
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  3. Karin Müller
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  4. Shengchun Wu
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  5. Nabeel Khan Niazi
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  6. Song Xu
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  7. Ying Shen
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  8. Jörg Rinklebe
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  9. Dan Liu
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  10. Hailong Wang
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Correspondence to Shengdao Shan or Hailong Wang.

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Song, C., Shan, S., Müller, K. et al. Characterization of pig manure-derived hydrochars for their potential application as fertilizer. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 25772–25779 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0301-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0301-y

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