Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

Vol 24, Issue 3, 2022; Page No.(494-501)

PRODUCTION AND PHYSIO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOCHAR OBTAINED FROM COFFEE PROCESSING WASTES AND CROP RESIDUES OF COFFEE PLANTATION

T.N. GOPINANDHAN, B.B. CHANNABASAMMA, T.N. SANDEEP, N. CHANDRASEKAR, H. SHRUTHI AND J.S. NAGARAJA

Abstract

Biochar is a pyrogenous organic material obtained mostly from various plant based waste biomass through pyrolysis process. The production of biochar from various plant based waste biomass is a part of the modern agenda to recycle bio-wastes and its application in agriculture is reported to improve the soil health in several ways. The other potential benefit of biochar include pollution remediation due to its high cation exchange capacity and specific surface area. In the present study, production and physico-chemical characterization of biochars obtained from coffee processing waste biomass (cherry husk and parchment husk) and crop residues from coffee plantation (diseased uprooted coffee stem and pepper stem waste) were attempted following standard methodologies. The statistical analysis of the data on biochar yield and physico-chemical parameters (moisture, pH, fixed carbon level, ash and volatile matter) of the biochar produced in the present study indicated that among the four waste biomass studied, significantly (p=0.05) highest biochar yield (40.53%) and fixed carbon level (54.53%) were recorded in cherry husk waste biomass. While, biochar obtained from pepper stem waste showed significantly (p=0.05) highest pH level (10.85%) and lowest moisture level (3.59%). Significantly (p=0.05) highest volatile matter (66.3%) and ash (18.13%) contents were observed in the biochars obtained from pepper stem waste and cherry husk, respectively. These data indicated that biochar yield and physico-chemical parameters of the biochar primarily depends on the chemical nature of waste biomass or crop residues. Therefore, screening of biochar obtained from various waste biomass or crop residues is pre-requisite for assessing its agronomical and environmental potentials. The results of the present study has provided baseline information of biochars obtained from various coffee processing waste biomass as well as crop residues from coffee plantation.