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Characterization and valorization of biomass ashes

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Abstract

In India, farming is the primary source of income for many families. Following each harvest, a huge amount of biomass is generated. These are generally discarded as “agrowaste,” but recent reports have indicated several beneficial uses for these biomasses and their ashes. However, before the utilization of biomass ashes (BMAs), their chemical and physical properties need to be investigated (characterized) so as to utilize their potential benefit to the fullest. In this paper, eight different biomass ashes (soybean plant ash, mustard plant ash, maize ash, groundnut plant ash, cotton plant ash, wheat plant ash, pigeon peas ash, and groundnut shell ash) were characterized, and their chemical properties are discussed. Surface chemical composition analysis, proximate analysis, and ultimate analysis were performed on all BMA samples, and properties such as porosity, particle density, bulk density, point of zero charge, BET surface area, water-absorption capacity, and bulk parameters such as surface pH and surface charges were determined. BMAs were characterized by SEM and FTIR. The surface areas of biomass ashes vary from 1.9 to 46 m2/g, and point of zero charge for all BMAs exceed 9.8, which confirmed the alkaline nature of these samples. Based on the chemical composition, BMAs are categorized into four types (S, C, K, and CK), and their utilization is proposed based on the type. BMAs find applications in agriculture and construction industries; glass, rubber, and zeolite manufacturing; and in adsorption (as a source of silica/zeolites). The paper also discusses the research challenges and opportunities in utilization of BMAs.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to IBM and Department of Metallurgy, VNIT, Nagpur, for their characterization facilities. The authors are thankful to the Science and Engineering Research Board, India, for providing research grant (Grant No. SB/S3/CE/077/2013) to undertake the work. Authors thank K Anand Kumar for proof reading this manuscript. BDK acknowledges the support from Indian National Science Academy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, 440010, India

    Nikhilesh S. Trivedi & Sachin A. Mandavgane

  2. Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, BARC, Mumbai, India

    Sayaji Mehetre

  3. CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, 411 008, India

    Bhaskar D. Kulkarni

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  1. Nikhilesh S. Trivedi
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  2. Sachin A. Mandavgane
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  3. Sayaji Mehetre
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  4. Bhaskar D. Kulkarni
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Correspondence to Sachin A. Mandavgane.

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Trivedi, N.S., Mandavgane, S.A., Mehetre, S. et al. Characterization and valorization of biomass ashes. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 20243–20256 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7227-7

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