This masters thesis is receiving praise from the biochar community. Another demonstration of the many commercial niches that biochar may occupy in the near future...
"... Results varied among trials and crops grown. Many biochar-based
substrates produced plants with shoot dry mass greater than or equal to
the control. These results demonstrate the potential for biochar to
replace perlite and eliminate the limestone amendment needed for
commercial greenhouse soilless substrates based on sphagnum peat.
Soilless substrates containing biochar as a replacement for perlite and
limestone can successfully be used for greenhouse plant production."
http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/13399/#!
This site has been created to facilitate the establishment of a South East Asian biochar interest group. BIG-SEA could provide communication and linkage between biochar researchers, farmers, related industry and supporting organisations, interested in tropically focused biochar industry development. Please get in touch if you are interested in supporting or participating in this effort.
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Friday, 27 September 2013
13th Hari Organik 2013 - CETDEM
I am posting below a notice from the Organic Farming Project Coordinator at CETDEM. Check out their website for details...
"CETDEM is organizing its 13th edition Hari Organik on 5th October, 2013 at the Taman Pusat Bandar SS2 , Jalan SS2/63, PJ, from 8-30 ~ 2pm.
The Hari Organik aims to promote an organic and sustainable lifestyle. A platform for networking and sharing information with producers / service providers and consumers.
Hence, we are seeking your help to post this event on your website/facebook and to those whom you think might be interested.
We hope you will continue to support us and make this Hari Organik a success. It is only with your support that we could go this far......
Please come and enjoy the special organic Penang vegetarian curry laksa!
Much appreciated
Tan Siew Luang
Organic Farming Project Coordinator, CETDEM
M: 016 219 5826; Tel: 03 7875 7767; Fax: 03 7875 4039
URL: www.cetdem.org.my
www.facebook.com/cetdem.org.my
CETDEM is not-for-profit organization,"
"CETDEM is organizing its 13th edition Hari Organik on 5th October, 2013 at the Taman Pusat Bandar SS2 , Jalan SS2/63, PJ, from 8-30 ~ 2pm.
The Hari Organik aims to promote an organic and sustainable lifestyle. A platform for networking and sharing information with producers / service providers and consumers.
Hence, we are seeking your help to post this event on your website/facebook and to those whom you think might be interested.
We hope you will continue to support us and make this Hari Organik a success. It is only with your support that we could go this far......
Please come and enjoy the special organic Penang vegetarian curry laksa!
Much appreciated
Tan Siew Luang
Organic Farming Project Coordinator, CETDEM
M: 016 219 5826; Tel: 03 7875 7767; Fax: 03 7875 4039
URL: www.cetdem.org.my
www.facebook.com/cetdem.org.my
CETDEM is not-for-profit organization,"
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Characterization of Local Mill Rice Husk Charcoal and Its Effect on Compost Properties
Theeba, Scientist and biochar researcher at MARDI, has previously provided access to the following research paper on Rice Husk Char. I am re-posting this final version for submission to the IBI bibliography. The RHC was not assessed under IBI product certification guidelines but it does appear to meet the "Test Category A - Basic Utility Properties" for Class 3 biochar. The product has a long history of local use as cost effective growing medium. A search on this website for 'rice' will provide links to many previous posts related to the subject of RHC.
The commercialisation of compost products based around this research is under investigation by MARDI.
Rice Husk Charcoal (RHC) is a by-product of rice processing mills which can be found in very large quantities in these mills. This industrial waste is largely unutilized, causing environmental pollution especially in the state of Kelantan. In order to increase its utilization, RHC was characterized and investigated for its potential in enhancing the composting process. Physico-chemical properties of RHC such as pH, nutrient content, ash content, CEC, adsorption kinetics, surface area, functional groups, surface structure and pore sizes were studied. The composting treatments were carried out by mixing 4% (wt/wt) and 6% (wt/wt) RHC with organic substrates and with no RHC amended as control. Parameters such as daily temperature, CO fux, nutrient content, pH, moisture and total microbial count were measured during the composting process. Results showed that RHC is a highly alkaline material (pH 8.9) with a carbon content of 16% (wt/wt dry basis), CEC of 17cmol kg-1 soil, BET surface area of 401 mg g-1 and a methylene blue adsorption capacity of 38.8 mg g-1. The presence of C=O carboxyl-C, ketones and ester, aliphatic C=H, C=C benzene ring and C-H aromatic hydrogen suggests that RHC mainly comprises amorphous char, a random mixture of thermally altered molecules and aromatic polycondensates.The addition of RHC to organic matter accelerated the composting process through higher decomposition rates due to higher microbial population at the thermophilic stage with RHC acting as a bulking agent, as well as higher moisture and nutrient retention during composting. N losses were found to be lower with RHC composting."
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4y0ycvbzqpo6w6b/Theeba.pdf
The commercialisation of compost products based around this research is under investigation by MARDI.
Abstract
"Rice Husk Charcoal (RHC) is a by-product of rice processing mills which can be found in very large quantities in these mills. This industrial waste is largely unutilized, causing environmental pollution especially in the state of Kelantan. In order to increase its utilization, RHC was characterized and investigated for its potential in enhancing the composting process. Physico-chemical properties of RHC such as pH, nutrient content, ash content, CEC, adsorption kinetics, surface area, functional groups, surface structure and pore sizes were studied. The composting treatments were carried out by mixing 4% (wt/wt) and 6% (wt/wt) RHC with organic substrates and with no RHC amended as control. Parameters such as daily temperature, CO fux, nutrient content, pH, moisture and total microbial count were measured during the composting process. Results showed that RHC is a highly alkaline material (pH 8.9) with a carbon content of 16% (wt/wt dry basis), CEC of 17cmol kg-1 soil, BET surface area of 401 mg g-1 and a methylene blue adsorption capacity of 38.8 mg g-1. The presence of C=O carboxyl-C, ketones and ester, aliphatic C=H, C=C benzene ring and C-H aromatic hydrogen suggests that RHC mainly comprises amorphous char, a random mixture of thermally altered molecules and aromatic polycondensates.The addition of RHC to organic matter accelerated the composting process through higher decomposition rates due to higher microbial population at the thermophilic stage with RHC acting as a bulking agent, as well as higher moisture and nutrient retention during composting. N losses were found to be lower with RHC compostingRice Husk Charcoal (RHC) is a by-product of rice processing mills which can be found in very large quantities in these mills. This industrial waste is largely unutilized, causing environmental pollution especially in the state of Kelantan. In order to increase its utilization, RHC was characterized and investigated for its potential in enhancing the composting process. Physico-chemical properties of RHC such as pH, nutrient content, ash content, CEC, adsorption kinetics, surface area, functional groups, surface structure and pore sizes were studied. The composting treatments were carried out by mixing 4% (wt/wt) and 6% (wt/wt) RHC with organic substrates and with no RHC amended as control. Parameters such as daily temperature, CO fux, nutrient content, pH, moisture and total microbial count were measured during the composting process. Results showed that RHC is a highly alkaline material (pH 8.9) with a carbon content of 16% (wt/wt dry basis), CEC of 17cmol kg-1 soil, BET surface area of 401 mg g-1 and a methylene blue adsorption capacity of 38.8 mg g-1. The presence of C=O carboxyl-C, ketones and ester, aliphatic C=H, C=C benzene ring and C-H aromatic hydrogen suggests that RHC mainly comprises amorphous char, a random mixture of thermally altered molecules and aromatic polycondensates.The addition of RHC to organic matter accelerated the composting process through higher decomposition rates due to higher microbial population at the thermophilic stage with RHC acting as a bulking agent, as well as higher moisture and nutrient retention during composting. N losses were found to be lower with RHC composting."
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4y0ycvbzqpo6w6b/Theeba.pdf