Post on 14-Jul-2018
Christoph Steiner, K.C. Das, Nathan Melear, Julia Gaskin, Casey Ritz, Keith Harris, Donald Lakly
and Winfried E. H. Blum
Biorefining and Carbon Cycling Program www.biochar.org
Biochar Use in the
Poultry Industry
Poultry litter (PL) Broiler Production by state
Poultry Litter nutrient source
The poultry industry in the US produces:
• 580,000 Mg of Nitrogen (480,000 Mg in excess) and,
• 280,000 Mg of Phosphorus (250,000 Mg in excess)(Gollehon et al., 2001, Agriculture Information Bulletin)
Poultry Manure Production in the Continental United States
www.thepoultrysite.com
Poultry litter stabilization, pathogen and odor reduction
Ash (complete combustion)
• high concentration of minerals (P, K, Ca, Mg,.• Loss of nitrogen (N)
Biochar (pyrolysis, carbonization)
• concentration of minerals (P, K, Ca, Mg,.• 70% of N lost (400 °C depending on temp.)
Compost (composting)
• Concentration of minerals (P, K, Ca, Mg,.• Loss of nitrogen (NH3 volatilization, 70 –88%, Ogunwande et al., 2008)
pH C N P K
-------- g kg-1 ---------
Poultry Litter 9.74 392 30.9 35.9 58.6
Peanut Hulls 10.1 804 24.8 1.97 16.4
Pine Chips 8.30 817 2.23 0.14 1.45
Biochar Nutrient Contents
Gaskin et al. 2008, Transactions of the ASABE
Poultry litter
Peanut hulls
Pine chips
Co
nse
rve
d N
in
ch
ar
(%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
400 C
500 C
Temperature p < 0.05
a
b
c
Biochar Nutrient ContentsGaskin et al. 2008, Transactions of the ASABE
Carbonized Poultry litter consequences for N availability?
Knicker and Skjemstad (2000) “Alterations in chemical structure have long-term consequences for N availability” “Black nitrogen” Knicker (2007)
Chan et al. 2008 “The yield increases were largely due to the ability of poultry litter char to provide N”
Tagoe et al. 2008 “Less N derived from poultry manure if carbonized (C = 12%) but more total uptake”
http://www.sjroe.com
Carbonizeit!
Char it !
?
Poultry litter carbonization
maximum carbonization temperature of 500°C for 0.5h using N2 carrier gas.
Carbonized PL as fertilizer
Amendments C N P K Ca Mg
Mg ha-1 -----------------------------kg ha-1------------------------------
CL 1.5 441.9 52.7 29.9 48.9 44.3 11.3
3.0 883.8 105.4 59.8 97.8 88.6 22.6
6.0 1767.6 210.8 119.6 195.6 177.2 45.2
CLc 1.5 627.2 52.5 63.8 105.7 82.9 23.2
3.0 1254.4 105.0 127.6 211.4 165.8 46.4
6.0 2508.8 210.0 255.2 422.8 331.6 92.8
Table 1 Elements applied in kg ha-1
Experiment fertilization
MF = NH4NO3
KClCaHPO4
and MgSO4
In addition one unfertilized control
1.5 Mg ha-1 (52.5 kg N ha-1)
3 Mg ha-1
(105 kg N ha-1)
6 Mg ha-1
(210 kg N ha-1)
Experiment greenhouse setup
Five plants per pot, 4 replicatesFirst harvest 72 days after planting, thereafter once a month for 3 consecutive harvests
Chromi-Alumic Acrisol = Fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludults
Results total biomass production (sum of 4 harvests)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
CO PL MF PLc MFc
L1
L2
L3
Bio
mas
s p
rod
uct
ion
g p
ot-1
CO = control, PL = poultry litter, MF = mineral fertilizer based on PL, PLc = carbonized PL, MFc = MF based on PLc
y = 0,2449x + 88,978R² = 0,9777
y = 0,0052x + 93,097R² = 0,0287
y = 0,723x + 78,404R² = 0,9964
y = 0,6973x + 88,493R² = 0,9996
70
90
110
130
150
170
190
210
230
-10 40 90 140
N u
pta
ke m
g kg
-1so
il
N fertilized mg kg-1 soil
CO
PL
PLc
MF
MFc
Linear (PL)Linear (PLc)Linear (MF)Linear (MFc)
Results N uptake in relation to N fertilized
http://www.sjroe.com
! ?
Char it !
Experiment II biochar as bulking agent in composting
Experiment II biochar as bulking agent in composting
3 Treatments (0, 5, and 20%)3 Replicates3 Repetitions
Moisture content 60%
42 Days of composting
Weekly turns and sampling
Experiment II biochar as bulking agent in composting
RespirometerMicro-Oxymax
CO2 every 2h for 72 h
Faster decomposition temperature
Faster decomposition increased respiration
Ammonia emissions reduced by up to 64%
Total N losses reduced by up to 52%
Reduced Nitrogen Losses with 20% biochar
Steiner et al. 2010, J. Environ. Qual.
Compost with and without biochar
0% biochar 20% biochar 20% biochar
http://www.sjroe.com
Sit and Sh.. on Char !
Char it !
?
Regular bedding 50/50 bedding Biochar bedding
Biochar as bedding
Biochar as bedding
32 birds per pen
Biochar as bedding
Equal Development• Weight•Mortality
Biochar as bedding
pH
Weeks
2,0 5,0
pH
6,5
7,0
7,5
8,0
8,5
9,0
Regular
Char
50/50 mix
NH4
Weeks
1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0 4,5 5,0 5,5
NH
4 p
pm
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
Regular
Char
50/50 mix
NO3
Weeks
1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0 4,5 5,0 5,5
NO
3 p
pm
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Regular
Char
50/50 mix
No differences in:• pH• NO3
• NH4
• NH3
Black Carbon S/A
ÖFG (Austrian Science Society)