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Pyrolysis of Biosolids to Produce Biochars: A Review

Author

Listed:
  • Samar Elkhalifa

    (Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar)

  • Hamish R. Mackey

    (Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar)

  • Tareq Al-Ansari

    (Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar)

  • Gordon McKay

    (Division of Sustainable Development, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar)

Abstract

The continuing increase in population means an increasing demand for products and services, resulting in huge amounts of waste being discharged into the environment. Therefore, waste management requires the application of new and innovative solutions. One new approach involves converting waste into value-added chemicals and products for use directly or after further processing into higher value-added products. These processes include biological, thermochemical, and physiochemical methods. Furthermore, biosolids, including treated sewage sludge (SS), represent one of the major by-products of human activities, constituting a major environmental hazard and requiring the treatment of contaminated wastewater with associated health hazards. Sustainable solutions to manage and dispose of this type of waste are required. In this review, pyrolysis, a thermochemical conversion technology, is explored to convert biosolids to biochars. The review addresses previous studies, by providing a critical discussion on the present status of biosolids processing, the potential for energy recovery from the pyrolysis bio-oil and biogas, and finally some benefits of the production of biochars from biosolids.

Suggested Citation

  • Samar Elkhalifa & Hamish R. Mackey & Tareq Al-Ansari & Gordon McKay, 2022. "Pyrolysis of Biosolids to Produce Biochars: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9626-:d:880718
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ioannis Zafeiriou & Konstantina Karadendrou & Dafni Ioannou & Maria-Anna Karadendrou & Anastasia Detsi & Dimitrios Kalderis & Ioannis Massas & Dionisios Gasparatos, 2023. "Effects of Biochars Derived from Sewage Sludge and Olive Tree Prunings on Cu Fractionation and Mobility in Vineyard Soils over Time," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Katarzyna Wystalska & Anna Kwarciak-Kozłowska & Renata Włodarczyk, 2022. "Influence of Technical Parameters of the Pyrolysis Process on the Surface Area, Porosity, and Hydrophobicity of Biochar from Sunflower Husk Pellet," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Hridoy Roy & Samiha Raisa Alam & Rayhan Bin-Masud & Tonima Rahman Prantika & Md. Nahid Pervez & Md. Shahinoor Islam & Vincenzo Naddeo, 2022. "A Review on Characteristics, Techniques, and Waste-to-Energy Aspects of Municipal Solid Waste Management: Bangladesh Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-25, August.
    4. Omar J. Quintero-García & Heilyn Pérez-Soler & Myriam A. Amezcua-Allieri, 2023. "Enzymatic Treatments for Biosolids: An Outlook and Recent Trends," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Longfei Cui & Chaoyue Liu & Hui Liu & Wenke Zhao & Yaning Zhang, 2022. "Exergy Transfer Analysis of Biomass and Microwave Based on Experimental Heating Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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