Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10855
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Effects of sewage sludge hydrochar on emissions of the climate-relevant trace gases N2O and CO2 from loamy sand soil
Author Joshi, A.; Breulmann, M.; Schulz, E.; Ruser, R.
Source Titel Heliyon
Year 2022
Department BOOEK; UBZ
Volume 8
Issue 10
Page From e10855
Language englisch
Topic T7 Bioeconomy
Keywords Solid waste management; Carbon sequestration; Hydrothermal carbonization; Carbon and nitrogen mineralization; Microbial biomass
Abstract This work explores the effects of amending a loamy sand soil with hydrochars having different physicochemcial characteristics. The effects of different hydrochars on emissions of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were investigated together with the relationship between the hydrochar's mineral nitrogen content and the soil microbial biomass. Soil samples were amended with eleven different hydrochars and feedstocks having different carbon and nitrogen contents at application rates of 5 t ha−1 and 25 t ha−1. Microbial immobilization was the main mineral nitrogen sink in soil following hydrochar application. Moreover, the processing conditions applied during hydrochar production (i.e., the pyrolysis temperature and residence time) had significant effects on N2O and CO2 emissions: treatment with incubated hydrochars yielded significantly lower N2O emissions than treatment with non-carbonized feedstocks, particularly at the highest level of hydrochar application (25 t ha−1). Further analysis revealed that increasing the process temperature and residence time during hdyrochar production significantly increased the final product's total organic carbon content but reduced its content of hot water extractable carbon. Hydrochars produced with higher process temperatures and longer residence times therefore yielded lower CO2 emissions during a 44-day incubation experiment than raw feedstocks or hydrochars produced under less severe conditions. Hydrochars formed from sewage sludge at high process temperatures and with long residence times are thus promising soil additives for reducing GHG emissions.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26666
Joshi, A., Breulmann, M., Schulz, E., Ruser, R. (2022):
Effects of sewage sludge hydrochar on emissions of the climate-relevant trace gases N2O and CO2 from loamy sand soil
Heliyon 8 (10), e10855 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10855