Feasibility of Biochar Derived from Sewage Sludge to Promote Sustainable Agriculture and Mitigate GHG Emissions—A Review

authored by

Mohammad Ghorbani, Petr Konvalina, Anna Walkiewicz, Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner, Marek Kopecký, Kazem Zamanian, Wei Hsin Chen, Daniel Bucur

Abstract

Sewage sludge (SS) has been connected to a variety of global environmental problems. Assessing the risk of various disposal techniques can be quite useful in recommending appropriate management. The preparation of sewage sludge biochar (SSB) and its impacts on soil characteristics, plant health, nutrient leaching, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are critically reviewed in this study. Comparing the features of SSB obtained at various pyrolysis temperatures revealed changes in its elemental content. Lower hydrogen/carbon ratios in SSB generated at higher pyrolysis temperatures point to the existence of more aromatic carbon molecules. Additionally, the preparation of SSB has an increased ash content, a lower yield, and a higher surface area as a result of the rise in pyrolysis temperature. The worldwide potential of SS output and CO₂-equivalent emissions in 2050 were predicted as factors of global population and common disposal management in order to create a futuristic strategy and cope with the quantity of abundant global SS. According to estimations, the worldwide SS output and associated CO₂-eq emissions were around 115 million tons dry solid (Mt DS) and 14,139 teragrams (Tg), respectively, in 2020. This quantity will rise to about 138 Mt DS sewage sludge and 16985 Tg CO₂-eq emissions in 2050, a 20% increase. In this regard, developing and populous countries may support economic growth by utilizing low-cost methods for producing biochar and employing it in local agriculture. To completely comprehend the benefits and drawbacks of SSB as a soil supplement, further study on long-term field applications of SSB is required.

External Organisation(s)

University of South Bohemia
Instytut Chemii Bioorganicznej Polskiej Akademii Nauk
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU)
University of Göttingen
National Cheng Kung University
Tunghai University
National Chin-Yi University of Technology Taiwan
Iasi University of Life Science (IULS)

Type

Review article

Journal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Volume

19

ISSN

1661-7827

Publication date

10.2022

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Pollution, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912983 (Access: Open)