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Hazardous emissions and concentrations of toxic metalloids and trace elements in charcoals from six commonly used tropical timbers for carbonization

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Abstract

Carbonized wood is a biofuel from cellulose pyrolysis with frequent smoke and life-threatening carcinogenic emissions. Carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM2.5), metalloids and trace elements from charcoals from six commonly used tropical timbers for carbonization in Donkorkrom (Ghana) were assessed. During combustion, Anogeissus leiocarpa charcoal emitted the least CO (4.28 ± 1.08 ppm) and PM2.5 (3.83 ± 1.57 μg/m3), while particulate matter was greatest for Erythrophleum ivorense (28.05 ± 3.08 ppm) and Azadirachta indica (27.67 ± 4.17 μg/m3) charcoals. Erythrophleum ivorense charcoal produced much lead (16.90 ± 0.33 ppm), arsenic (1.97 ± 0.10 ppm) and mercury (0.58 ± 0.003 ppm) but the least chromium (0.11 ± 0.01 ppm) and zinc (2.85 ± 0.05 ppm). Nickel was greatest for A. indica charcoal (0.71 ± 0.01 ppm) and least for Vitellaria paradoxa (0.07 ± 0.004 ppm). Trace elements ranged from 342.01 ± 2.54 ppm (A. indica) to 978.47 ± 1.80 ppm (V. paradoxa) for potassium and 1.74 ± 0.02% (V. paradoxa) to 2.24 ± 0.10% (A. indica) for sulphur. Besides A. leiocarpa charcoal, which ranked safest during combustion, the high PM2.5 and CO emissions make the other biofuels hazardous indoors. Kitchens need air filters to absorb these emissions together with the use of improved cook stoves. These carcinogenic metalloids would necessitate that their ashes be properly discarded without human contact. Yet, the charcoals would be much suitable as soil amendment bio-char for plant growth quality improvement.

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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Rev. Steven Obour (the manager, Forest Services Division (FSD), Forestry Commission (FC), Donkorkrom) for the provision of the timber species for the study. We also thank the staff of Soil Research Institute (SRI) of the Center for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Kwadaso, Kumasi (Ghana) for the metalloid and trace element analyses. Many thanks also go to the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), CSIR, Fumesua, for the wood carbonization. We appreciate the staff of the Technology Consultancy Centre (TCC), KNUST for the laboratory space for the testing of the hazardous emission levels of the carbonized woods.

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  1. Department of Wood Science and Technology, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Mark Glalah & Charles Antwi-Boasiako

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  1. Mark Glalah
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Mr. Mark Glalah: conceptualization, methodology, visualization, investigation, software, data curation and analysis, writing—original draft preparation, writing—reviewing and editing, read through and approved the final manuscript. Contribution: 50%.

Prof. Charles Antwi-Boasiako: visualization, supervision, validation, contributed and led the study, writing, reviewing and editing, read through and approved the final manuscript. Contribution: 50%.

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Correspondence to Charles Antwi-Boasiako.

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Glalah, M., Antwi-Boasiako, C. Hazardous emissions and concentrations of toxic metalloids and trace elements in charcoals from six commonly used tropical timbers for carbonization. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 9892–9903 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16304-0

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