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Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar / Larissa Nicholas

Swansea University Author: Larissa Nicholas

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DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUThesis.65510

Abstract

Since 2000 the proportion of the population in low and middle- income nations that use “unimproved” sanitation facilities is increasing, in 2020 3.5 billion people lacked access to safely managed sanitation facilities. Inadequate sanitation facilities and lack of clean water are key factors in the c...

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Published: Swansea, Wales, UK 2023
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
Supervisor: Mabbett, I; Devine, A; Tang, K
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65510
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Inadequate sanitation facilities and lack of clean water are key factors in the contraction of diarrheal disease which is responsible for the deaths of approximately 525,000 children every year (WHO, 2017).Faecal sludge collected from on-site sanitation facilities is often dumped into the local environment or reused untreated on farmland. The recycling and re-use of faecal sludge can improve sanitation in developing nations as well as playing a pivotal role in the development of a circular economy within the agriculture industry. Here, biochars derived from faecal sludge were characterized with regards to a potential end-use in agriculture. All faecal sludge biochars were found to have high ash content which contributed to the high pH values measured. All biochars recorded relatively low carbon content and BET porosimetry indicated low specific surface areas. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed similar organic surface groups for each biochar. X-ray diffraction analysis differed slightly between biochars, but all displayed a high mineral content (Si, Ca, K and Mg).Faecal sludge biochar was investigated as a soil amendment/fertilizer with acidic soil in two experiments; one conducted in an outdoor greenhouse in natural sunlight and one in a controlled temperature laboratory under a 24-hour photoperiod. It was found that faecal sludge biochar addition to acidic soil increased crop yield, fruit number, plant height and plant biomass and also reduced water runoff in Micro-Tom tomatoes. A combined biochar and fertilizer treatment together produced plants with greater plant height, and tomato yield. The high pH biochar initiated a liming effect which increased nutrient availability as evident in the combined biochar and fertilizer treatment. Under continuous light conditions biochar addition increased plant height, and tomato yield compared to control. However, biochar addition resulted in greater continuous light-induced leaf injury compared to the combined biochar and fertilizer treatment. The combined fertilizer and biochar treatment with a lower rate of biochar plus the addition of nutrients significantly reduced continuous light-induced leaf injury.A survey investigating the public perception of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture focusing on faecal sludge derived biochar was conducted. This revealed the “disgust effect” – a “squeamishness” associated with the use of faecal sludge biochar by members of the public. 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spelling v2 65510 2024-01-25 Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar 1f94486c34f5b8272a65b750a3c7f9f2 Larissa Nicholas Larissa Nicholas true false 2024-01-25 RECS Since 2000 the proportion of the population in low and middle- income nations that use “unimproved” sanitation facilities is increasing, in 2020 3.5 billion people lacked access to safely managed sanitation facilities. Inadequate sanitation facilities and lack of clean water are key factors in the contraction of diarrheal disease which is responsible for the deaths of approximately 525,000 children every year (WHO, 2017).Faecal sludge collected from on-site sanitation facilities is often dumped into the local environment or reused untreated on farmland. The recycling and re-use of faecal sludge can improve sanitation in developing nations as well as playing a pivotal role in the development of a circular economy within the agriculture industry. Here, biochars derived from faecal sludge were characterized with regards to a potential end-use in agriculture. All faecal sludge biochars were found to have high ash content which contributed to the high pH values measured. All biochars recorded relatively low carbon content and BET porosimetry indicated low specific surface areas. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed similar organic surface groups for each biochar. X-ray diffraction analysis differed slightly between biochars, but all displayed a high mineral content (Si, Ca, K and Mg).Faecal sludge biochar was investigated as a soil amendment/fertilizer with acidic soil in two experiments; one conducted in an outdoor greenhouse in natural sunlight and one in a controlled temperature laboratory under a 24-hour photoperiod. It was found that faecal sludge biochar addition to acidic soil increased crop yield, fruit number, plant height and plant biomass and also reduced water runoff in Micro-Tom tomatoes. A combined biochar and fertilizer treatment together produced plants with greater plant height, and tomato yield. The high pH biochar initiated a liming effect which increased nutrient availability as evident in the combined biochar and fertilizer treatment. Under continuous light conditions biochar addition increased plant height, and tomato yield compared to control. However, biochar addition resulted in greater continuous light-induced leaf injury compared to the combined biochar and fertilizer treatment. The combined fertilizer and biochar treatment with a lower rate of biochar plus the addition of nutrients significantly reduced continuous light-induced leaf injury.A survey investigating the public perception of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture focusing on faecal sludge derived biochar was conducted. This revealed the “disgust effect” – a “squeamishness” associated with the use of faecal sludge biochar by members of the public. Also, gender differences, issue awareness, and age need to be taken into consideration when enforcing management and policy decisions regarding the land application of faecal sludge biochar. E-Thesis Swansea, Wales, UK Biochar, faecal sludge, soil, crop, yield, tomato, continuous light, public perceptions, attitudes 8 12 2023 2023-12-08 10.23889/SUThesis.65510 Part of this thesis has been redacted to protect personal information COLLEGE NANME Enterprise European Network COLLEGE CODE RECS Swansea University Mabbett, I; Devine, A; Tang, K Doctoral Ph.D BMGF – Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation BMGF – Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2024-04-12T10:57:55.3526295 2024-01-25T11:32:47.4555243 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Chemistry Larissa Nicholas 1 65510__29477__3a42e17822054c4e9e0529285c947a76.pdf 2023_Nicholas_L.final.65510.pdf 2024-01-25T11:52:42.2707395 Output 6627959 application/pdf E-Thesis – open access true Distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY 4.0). Copyright: The Author, Larissa Nicholas, 2023. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
spellingShingle Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
Larissa Nicholas
title_short Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
title_full Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
title_fullStr Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
title_full_unstemmed Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
title_sort Properties, agronomic uses and public perceptions of faecal sludge biochar
author_id_str_mv 1f94486c34f5b8272a65b750a3c7f9f2
author_id_fullname_str_mv 1f94486c34f5b8272a65b750a3c7f9f2_***_Larissa Nicholas
author Larissa Nicholas
author2 Larissa Nicholas
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2023
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.23889/SUThesis.65510
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Chemistry{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Chemistry
document_store_str 1
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description Since 2000 the proportion of the population in low and middle- income nations that use “unimproved” sanitation facilities is increasing, in 2020 3.5 billion people lacked access to safely managed sanitation facilities. Inadequate sanitation facilities and lack of clean water are key factors in the contraction of diarrheal disease which is responsible for the deaths of approximately 525,000 children every year (WHO, 2017).Faecal sludge collected from on-site sanitation facilities is often dumped into the local environment or reused untreated on farmland. The recycling and re-use of faecal sludge can improve sanitation in developing nations as well as playing a pivotal role in the development of a circular economy within the agriculture industry. Here, biochars derived from faecal sludge were characterized with regards to a potential end-use in agriculture. All faecal sludge biochars were found to have high ash content which contributed to the high pH values measured. All biochars recorded relatively low carbon content and BET porosimetry indicated low specific surface areas. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed similar organic surface groups for each biochar. X-ray diffraction analysis differed slightly between biochars, but all displayed a high mineral content (Si, Ca, K and Mg).Faecal sludge biochar was investigated as a soil amendment/fertilizer with acidic soil in two experiments; one conducted in an outdoor greenhouse in natural sunlight and one in a controlled temperature laboratory under a 24-hour photoperiod. It was found that faecal sludge biochar addition to acidic soil increased crop yield, fruit number, plant height and plant biomass and also reduced water runoff in Micro-Tom tomatoes. A combined biochar and fertilizer treatment together produced plants with greater plant height, and tomato yield. The high pH biochar initiated a liming effect which increased nutrient availability as evident in the combined biochar and fertilizer treatment. Under continuous light conditions biochar addition increased plant height, and tomato yield compared to control. However, biochar addition resulted in greater continuous light-induced leaf injury compared to the combined biochar and fertilizer treatment. The combined fertilizer and biochar treatment with a lower rate of biochar plus the addition of nutrients significantly reduced continuous light-induced leaf injury.A survey investigating the public perception of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture focusing on faecal sludge derived biochar was conducted. This revealed the “disgust effect” – a “squeamishness” associated with the use of faecal sludge biochar by members of the public. Also, gender differences, issue awareness, and age need to be taken into consideration when enforcing management and policy decisions regarding the land application of faecal sludge biochar.
published_date 2023-12-08T10:57:53Z
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score 11.014067

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