Applying microwave vacuum pyrolysis to design moisture retention and pH neutralizing palm kernel shell biochar for mushroom production

Wan Mahari WA 1 , Nam WL 2 , Sonne C 3 , Peng W 4 , Phang XY 2 , Liew RK 5 Show all authors , Yek PNY 6 , Lee XY 2 , Wen OW 7 , Show PL 8 , Chen WH 9 , Chang JS 10 , Lam SS 11

Affiliations 

  • 1 Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 2 Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 3 Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
  • 4 Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
  • 5 NV WESTERN PLT, No. 208B, Jalan Macalister, Georgetown, Pulau Pinang 10400, Malaysia
  • 6 Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; University College of Technology Sarawak, Department of Engineering, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
  • 7 Siong Hoong Agro Organic Farm, Jalan Tanggul, Kg Bukit Kuan, 21040 Marang, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 8 Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
  • 9 Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung 407, Taiwan; Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 411, Taiwan
  • 10 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung 407, Taiwan; Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
  • 11 Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (Akuatrop), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia; Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China. Electronic address: lam@umt.edu.my
Bioresour Technol, 2020 Sep;312:123572.
PMID: 32470829 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123572

Abstract

Microwave vacuum pyrolysis of palm kernel shell was examined to produce engineered biochar for application as additive in agriculture application. The pyrolysis approach, performed at 750 W of microwave power, produced higher yield of porous biochar (28 wt%) with high surface area (270 cm2/g) compared to the yield obtained by conventional approach (<23 wt%). Addition of the porous biochar in mushroom substrate showed increased moisture content (99%) compared to the substrate without biochar (96%). The mushroom substrate added with biochar (150 g) was optimal in shortening formation, growth, and full colonization of the mycelium within one month. Using 2.5% of the biochar in mushroom substrate desirably maintained the optimum pH level (6.8-7) during the mycelium colonization period, leading to high mycelium growth (up to 91%) and mushroom yield (up to 280 g). The engineered biochar shows great potential as moisture retention and neutralizing agent in mushroom cultivation.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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