A critical review of the role of biochar in mitigating atmospheric emissions during the composting of organic waste

Biochar has emerged as a promising material for carbon storage, exhibiting properties analogous to those of activated carbon. Biochar has a particularly high absorbance due to its high porosity, surface area, and functional groups, although these parameters depend on the feedstock and pyrolysis cond...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Olivera-Begué, Elena|||0009-0009-6010-9917, González, Daniel|||0000-0003-0128-6445, Sánchez, Antoni|||0000-0003-4254-8528
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Recursos:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:324160
Acesso em linha:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/324160
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.3390/pr14010071
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Biochar
Composting
Gaseous emissions
Ammonia
Greenhouse gases
Odors
Volatile organic compounds
Descrição
Resumo:Biochar has emerged as a promising material for carbon storage, exhibiting properties analogous to those of activated carbon. Biochar has a particularly high absorbance due to its high porosity, surface area, and functional groups, although these parameters depend on the feedstock and pyrolysis conditions. The sorbent properties of biochar make it suitable for many applications, including the biological treatment of organic waste. In the context of composting, biochar addition seems to positively impact the process performance and the final compost characteristics. Furthermore, it reduces greenhouse gas and odor emissions, which is a crucial step in preventing the full implementation of composting. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive description of the effects of biochar on composting emissions and the reported mechanisms, highlighting the limitations of current research. In summary, the use of biochar in composting is still in its early stages and requires further research and consensus on fundamental issues, such as the optimal biochar dosage and mitigation mechanisms. Moreover, there is a significant lack of full-scale implementation. Accordingly, future work should focus on overcoming these critical challenges to take a step forward towards a consistent and complete picture of the environmental impacts and a rigorous economic analysis of the use of biochar in composting.