Biochars Derived from Olive Mill Byproducts: Typology, Characterization, and Eco-Efficient Application in Agriculture—A Systematic Review

José Ferreira Lustosa Filho (), Ana Paula Ferreira da Silva, Silvana Teixeira Costa, Hélder Teixeira Gomes, Tomás de Figueiredo and Zulimar Hernández
Additional contact information
José Ferreira Lustosa Filho: Laboratorio Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação (MORE CoLab), Edifício Brigantia Ecopark, Av. Cidade de Léon 506, 5300-358 Bragança, Portugal
Ana Paula Ferreira da Silva: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Silvana Teixeira Costa: Laboratorio Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação (MORE CoLab), Edifício Brigantia Ecopark, Av. Cidade de Léon 506, 5300-358 Bragança, Portugal
Hélder Teixeira Gomes: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Tomás de Figueiredo: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Zulimar Hernández: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 12, 1-31

Abstract: In the context of climate change and the circular economy, biochar agricultural and environmental applications have attracted a good deal of attention. Biochar has unique characteristics like surface area, porosity, water-holding capacity, pH, surface charge, and nutrients. This study reviews the biochar production from olive pomace (OP) and olive stone (OS) byproducts, its chemical and physical characterization, and its environmental application. The current review highlights the conditions for biochar production, the effects of pyrolysis temperature, and feedstock type on the physicochemical properties of biochar. High pyrolysis temperature (>500 °C) promotes a high specific surface area, high porosity (especially for OS biochars), and pH as well as the content of ash and fixed carbon, but generates low cation exchange capacity (CEC) and electrical conductivity (EC) and high values of O/C and H/C ratio. OP biochar also presents a high C amount, and ash content, i.e., rich in nutrients and high alkalizing capacity. OP biochar serves as an important source of plant nutrients, especially potassium. After adding both types of biochar, aggregate stability and the amount of water held in soil increase, and bulk density and bioavailability of trace elements decrease. Thus, biochar from olive mill wastes can be a potential plant nutrient reservoir, a good amendment to improve soil properties and long-term carbon sequestration. Results presented in this review can be used to build designer biochars from olive mill wastes to help solve environmental issues (water purification and pollutant remediation) and are suitable for improving soil physical chemistry characteristics and crop growth.

Keywords: environmental remediation; olive pomace biochar; olive stone biochar; plant growth; soil amendments (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/5004/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/5004/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:12:p:5004-:d:1413381

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().