Characterization of biocoals and dissolved organic matter phases obtained upon hydrothermal carbonization of brewer's spent grain.
The wet biomass brewer's spent grain was subjected to hydrothermal carbonization to produce biocoal. Mass balance considerations indicate for about two thirds of the organic carbon of the input biomass to be transferred into the biocoal. The van Krevelen plot refers to a high degree of defunctionalization with decarboxylation prevailing over dehydration. Calorific data revealed a significant energy densification of biocoals as compared to the input substrate. Sorption coefficients of organic analytes covering a wide range of hydrophobicities and polarities on biocoal were similar to those for dissolved humic acids. Data from GC/MS analysis indicated that phenols and benzenediols along with fatty acids released from bound lipids during the hydrothermal process constituted abundant products. Our findings demonstrate that the brewer's spent grain by-product is a good feedstock for hydrothermal carbonization to produce biocoal, the latter offering good prospects for energetic and soil-improving application fields.
UFZ-Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: juergen.poerschmann@ufz.de.
J
J
Poerschmann
UFZ-Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
B
B
Weiner
DBFZ-Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum, Department of Biochemical Conversion, Torgauer Straße 116, D-04347 Leipzig, Germany.
H
H
Wedwitschka
UFZ-Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
I
I
Baskyr
UFZ-Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
R
R
Koehler
UFZ-Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Department of Environmental Engineering, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
F-D
FD
Kopinke
D000327:Adsorption; D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003031:Coal; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D056804:Biofuels; D003031:Coal; D007220:Industrial Waste; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen
Biocoal; Brewer’s spent grain; Hydrothermal carbonization; Organic carbon balance