Sugarcane bagasse biochar: A suitable amendments for inland saline pond water productivity

Aim: To ameliorate the inland saline water through biochar for enhancing the pond water productivity and utilize the vast resources of salt affteced land and ground saline water efficiently for aquaculture. Methodology: A 50 days incubation study was conducted to understand the ameliorating effects of sugarcane bagasse biochar on the inland saline sediment and water. Biochar was applied at the rate of 100 g and 200 g in both sediment and water, respectively. Results: Significant (P≤ 0.05) increase in pH, available-N, potassium, available-Pand decrease in total alkalinity was observed in all the treatments. The primary productivity significantly increased (P≤ 0.05) in all the treatments, and the maximum was observed in T4 treatment (0.173 mg m-3). Interpretation: The sediment mixing and water application differ in their effect on the primary productivity and physico-chemical properties of inland saline pond water. The study will help in developing protocol for the application of agro-waste-derived biochar in the inland saline pond aquaculture system.

Sugarcane Bagasse Biochar as a Solid Catalyst: From Literature Review of Heterogeneous Catalysts for Esterifications to the Experiments for Biodiesel Synthesis from Palm Oil Industry Waste Residue

In this study, the utilization of sugarcane bagasse biochar (SCBB) as a solid catalyst was investigated for biodiesel production from palm oil industry waste residue. The catalyst was synthesized by sulfonation of SCBB to attach sulfonate functional group. Several analyses such as Nitrogen Gas Sorption Analysis, acidity, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were applied to determine the properties of SCBB catalyst. The SCBB catalysts were tested to esterify the palm oil industry waste residue which contains of Free Fatty Acids (FFAs). The SCBB catalyst activity test revealed that the variables including catalyst amount, methanol to PFAD mass ratio, and temperature influenced the FFAs conversion. The highest of FFAs of 86.1% was reached at reaction temperature of 65 °C with the PFAD to methanol mass ratio of 4:1, and catalyst amount of 5 wt.% PFAD. The E-R kinetic model as developed can be described the mechanism of esterification reaction