Influence of pyrolysis temperature on production and nutrient properties of wastewater sludge biochar
Abstract
The important challenge for effective management of wastewater sludge materials in an environmentally and economically acceptable way can be addressed through pyrolytic conversion of the sludge to biochar and agricultural applications of the biochar. The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of pyrolysis temperature on production of wastewater sludge biochar and evaluate the properties required for agronomic applications. Wastewater sludge collected from an urban wastewater treatment plant was pyrolysed in a laboratory scale reactor. It was found that by increasing the pyrolysis temperature (over the range from 300 °C to 700 °C) the yield of biochar decreased. Biochar produced at low temperature was acidic whereas at high temperature it was alkaline in nature. The concentration of nitrogen was found to decrease while micronutrients increased with increasing temperature. Concentrations of trace metals present in wastewater sludge varied with temperature and were found to primarily enriched in the biochar.
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High pyrolysis temperature leads to increased biochar surface area, higher pH, and higher %C content but lower %N content.
“Numerous studies reported that high pyrolysis temperature led to increased biochar surface area (Ahmad et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2015), higher pH (Hossain et al., 2011), %C content but lower %N content (Zhang et al., 2017).”
From Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature on PhysicoChemical Properties and Acoustic-Based Amination of Biochar for Efficient CO2 Adsorption (2020) · cites this paper as Hossain et al., 2011
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- Authors
- Hossain, M. K., Strezov, V., Chan, K. Y., Ziolkowski, A., & Nelson, P. F.
- Affiliations
- Macquarie University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Hossain, Mustafa K.
- Venue
- Journal of Environmental Management
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-01
- Volume
- 92
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 223-228
- ISSN
- 0301-4797 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2002144749
- Cited by
- 1,067
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 54 · 2025: 72 · 2024: 62 · 2023: 97 · 2022: 87 · 2021: 106 · 2020: 108 · 2019: 110 · 2018: 76 · 2017: 72 · 2016: 71 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 11.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Environmental Management (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Sydney Water Corporation
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Phosphorus and nutrient management
- Keywords
- wastewater sludge, biochar, pyrolysis temperature, biochar yield, agricultural applications, trace metals, micronutrients, nitrogen, pH, municipal wastewater treatment, sludge management
- MeSH terms
- Charcoal, Cities, Metals, Temperature, Waste Disposal, Fluid, Incineration
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