[Stoves] Characterization of Local Mill Rice Husk Charcoal and Its Effect on Compost Properties

[Tom Miles]

Characterization of Local Mill Rice Husk Charcoal and

Its Effect on Compost Properties

Theeba, M.1*, Robert T. Bachmann2, Illani Z.I1, Zulkefli M1,

Husni M.H.A3 and Samsuri A.W3

1Water and Soil Management Programme, Malaysian Agricultural Research Institute

(MARDI) Persiaran UPM-MARDI, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

2Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering

Technology (UNIKL-MICET), 78000 Alor Gajah Melaka, Malaysia

3Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra

Malaysia , 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Rice husk charcoal (RHC) is a by-product of rice processing mills which can befound in very large quantities in these mills. Tis industrial waste is largely 

unutilized, causing environmental pollution especially in the state of Kelantan.

In order to increase its utilization, RHC was characterized and investigated for

its potential in enhancing the composting process. Physico-chemical properties

of RHC such as pH, nutrient content, ash content, CEC, adsorption kinetics,

surface area, functional groups, surface structure and pore sizes were studied. The composting treatments were carried out by mixing 4% (wt/wt) and 6% wt/wt) RHC 

with organic substrates and with no RHC amended as control. Parameters such as

daily temperature, CO2 flux, nutrient cntent, pH, moisture and total microbial

unt were measured during the composting process. Results showed that RHC is

a highly alkaline material (pH 8.9) with a carbon content of 16% (wt/wt dry basis),

CEC of 17cmol kg-1soil, BET surface area of 401 mg g-1 and a methylene blue

Adsorption capacity of 38.8 mg g-1. Thepresence of C=O carboxyl-C, ketones and 

ester, aliphatic C=H, C=C benzene ring and C-H aromatic hydrogen suggests thatRHC mainly comprises amorphous char, a ramdom mixture of thermally altered molecules and aromatic polycondensates. The addition of RHC to organic matter

accelerated the composting process through higher decomposition rates due to

higher microbial population at the thermophilic stage with RHC acting as a bulking

agent, as well as higher moisture and nutrient retention during composting. N

losses were found to be lower with RHC composting

 

Keywords: Rice husk charcoal, composting, physico-chemical, decomposition,

nutrient retention

http://www.msss.com.my/mjss/Full%20Text/Vol%2016/Theeba.pdf

 

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