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Agricultural use of wood ash as a fertilizer and liming material

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Abstract

Wood-derived boiler ash was mixed with two acid soils at rates equivalent to 0, 2.24, 4.5, 9.0, 17.9, and 35.9 metric tons/ha to evaluate changes in extractable nutrients and soil pH. Concentrations of extractable P, K, and Ca increased linearly with application rate. Soil pH increased linearly with the logarithm of the application rate. The ash was compared with commercial potash fertilizer and agricultural limestone. The equivalent neutralizing value was about half of that for agricultural limestone. 4 references.
... However, the nutrient bioavailable for use by the plants is not directly correlated to the absolute amount of K present in the ash, as only a part of K is extractable and bioavailable for plants [67]. The K bioavailable for plants can range from 18% to 51% of the total K in wood fly ashes due to the formation of insoluble fused K compounds with insoluble elements such as silicon at high temperatures [68]. Regarding P, the absolute amount is 6.47 g/kg in FG and 9.02 g/kg in FF. ...
... The fertiliser displaced was obtained through the P and K content in the wood ash and its bioavailability in conventional fertilisers. The absolute amount of K in the potassium chloride is 498 g/kg, and the amount bioavailable for plants can range from 65% to 70% of the total K [68]. The absolute amount of P in the triple superphosphate is 210 g/kg, while the P bioavailable to plants can range from 80% to 93% of the total P [75]. ...
Article
The increasing demand for bioenergy has intensified the pressure to utilise forest residues. Consequently, wood ash production has increased, which has prompted the need to find environmentally friendly alternatives for its end-of-life processes. However, studies assessing the environmental impacts of wood ash valorisation have assumed a static market while disregarding the potential environmental consequences and economic causalities of producing new products from wood ash. Therefore, this study assesses the outcomes of changing the conventional end-of-life of wood fly ash from its disposal in sanitary landfills to valorisation alternatives through its incorporation in construction materials (mortar and concrete) or soil amelioration. First, a consequential life cycle assessment was applied to identify the most environmentally sustainable choices for two types of wood fly ash (namely, those derived grate furnaces and fluidised bed furnaces). The characterisation factors used in this study are those that have been suggested for conducting a Product Environmental Footprint (PEF). The results show that mortar production is the best alternative for fly ashes generated in grate furnaces. Meanwhile, concrete and mortar production are the best alternatives for fly ashes generated in fluidised bed furnaces, concrete production has a slight advantage (smaller than 1%) over mortar production. Valorisation is less beneficial for soil amelioration than the incorporation in construction materials, and the impacts are higher than those of ash landfilling in some impact categories (human toxicity, freshwater eutrophication and ecotoxicity) due to the emission of trace elements into soil. A sensitivity analysis was carried out by changing the market trend of the conventional materials displaced from stable to strongly declining. This analysis showed that market trends could affect the net environmental performance of the investigated alternatives and modify their rankings.
... Wood ash consists of both inorganic and organic residue produced after the combustion of wood, wood products, and tree or woody plant-derived parts such as leaves, twigs, branches, stems, roots, and bark [15]. This ash is an alkaline substance, previously used as a source of potash [16], as fertilizer and liming material to maintain the soil pH [17], used in making local soap from ash-derived alkali and sanitizing the fecal sludge [18][19][20]. Furthermore, wood ash extract used in neutralizing the high tannin in sorghum used in poultry feed resulted in increased growth of poultry [21]. ...
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Objective: The study aims to prepare the ash filtrate (AF) from household ashes using an in-house-designed handmade filtration system and to observe the antimicrobial efficacy and san-itizing effects. Materials and Methods: Household ashes from various plant sources were collected, and AF was prepared through a handmade filtration system after adding water. The pH of stock AF was measured, and 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% AF solutions were prepared by adding distilled water in appropriate proportions to obtain a wide range of pH values. The antimicrobial efficacy of AF against Salmonella spp. in vitro, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) H 9 N 2 in ovo were analyzed. Contaminated eggs were individually sprayed or dipped with AF to detect the bacterial load on the eggshell surface. Further experimental use of AF as an egg sanitizer in routine biosecurity operations in broiler sheds was also evaluated. Results: The prepared AF showed high alkalinity; pH varied from 10.7 to 8.20 and contained a higher amount of K, Na, and Cl. The alkaline AF and its dilution gradually inhibited Salmonella growth and showed gradual pH-dependent antibacterial efficacy. Similarly, AF and its dilution showed a gradual decrease in viral titer against the LPAIV (H9N2); however, antiviral activity against the velogenic strain of NDV was quite steady. Applying AF as an egg sanitizer also reduced the bacterial loads significantly on the eggshell surface compared to untreated eggs. Moreover, AF having pH 10.5 experimentally used in routine sanitization practices of a boiler shed resulted in low bird mortality (10/210), higher body weight gain, and a low feed conversion ratio compared to the untreated control flock. Conclusion: The higher alkalinity of the AF is responsible for the antimicrobial activity of commercial disinfectants. Consequently, we can use AF as a low-cost, effective, natural antimicrobial agent to replace chemical disinfectants.
... Regarding TSP, its P content is 210 g/kg, of which 86.5% is available for plants (Mullins and Sikora 1994). The amount of K in the KCl is 498 g/kg, and 67.5% of this K is available for plants (Naylor and Schmidt 1986). The percentage of total phosphorus contained in the piles of compost (in dry mass) is 0.24% (Llonch et al. 2021). ...
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In Portugal, the number of fires and the size of burnt areas are rising dramatically every year, increasing with improper management of agroforestry wastes (AFRs). This work aims to study the composting of these wastes with minimal operational costs and understand the environmental impact and the compost application on burnt soil. Thus, a study of life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out based on windrow composting processes, considering the avoided environmental impacts associated with the end-product quality and its application as an organic amendment. Three composting piles were made with AFRs from the Residual Biomass Collection Centre (RBCC) in Bodiosa (Portugal). Sewage sludges (SS) from an urban wastewater treatment plant were used as conditioning agent. One pile with AFRs (MC) and another with AFRs and SS (MCS) were managed according to good composting practices. Another pile with the AFRs was developed without management (NMC), thus with a minimal operational cost. Periodically, it was measured several physical and chemical parameters according to standard methodologies. Eleven environmental impacts of compost production, MC and MCS, were analyzed by a LCA tool, and their effect on the growth of Pinus pinea was evaluated, using peat as reference. Composting evolution was expected for both piles. Final composts, MC and MCS, were similar, complying with organic amendment quality parameters. Compost NMC, with no operational management, showed the highest germination index. Piles MC and MCS showed similar environmental impacts, contributing to a negative impact on global warming, acidification, and eutrophication. Greater growth was obtained with application of MCS, followed by MC, and finally, peat. Composting is a sustainable way to valorize AFRs wastes, producing compost that could restore burnt soils and promote plant growth and circular economy. Graphical Abstract
... Regarding TSP, its P content is 210 g/kg, of which 86.5% is available for plants [34]. The amount of K in the KCl is 498 g/kg, and 67.5% of this K is available for plants [35]. The total phosphorus of compost (in dry mass) is 0.24% [36]. ...
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The treatment of agricultural and forest residues (AFRs) has become an important issue nowadays, both to avoid improper management and for their enhancement. In the study area of Viseu (Portugal), the AFRs are taken to a Residual Biomass Collection Centre. These are valorised in a Biomass Power Plant to produce electricity. Two further processes could be implemented to valorise this biomass: mulching and composting. This study aims to understand the best strategy to enhance this type of biomass residual considering their environmental performance. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was applied considering a cradle-to-grave approach. Different processes of all the technologies were analysed, and the data collected enabled a comparison of 11 environmental impact categories. The results show that composting is the best alternative, except for global warming and ozone layer depletion, and energy valorisation has the greatest impact on five of the considered categories. In the three processes, impacts are mainly associated with the production and shredding phases of the residual biomass, rather than the transportation stages, due to the short distances covered. In all cases, the value of the final product generates market consequences in terms of electricity and fertiliser production. In line with the aim of the study, its outcomes may provide scientific support to local decision makers in defining best practices in the management of the AFRs.
... Moilanen et al. (2006) and Huotari et al. (2011) have previously reported very low and stable post-fertilization heavy metal concentrations in herbs, grasses and shrubs at wood ash treated sites, and even earlier Scandinavian research made the same finding for heavy metal levels in fruiting understorey shrubs (see review by Pitman, 2006). Wood ash has a long history of use in US agriculture, where excess heavy metal concentration has not been reported in the harvested crops (Naylor and Schmidt, 1986). ...
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Wood ash use, to raise pH and replace nutrients lost through forest harvesting, is well regulated in Scandinavia and Canada, but not yet in the UK. This experiment applied granulated wood ash from mixed tree thinnings to a lowland clay mineral soil at ~2.3 t ha−1 dose rate, after clearfell of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.). With brash (~56 t ha−1 dry weight) as N resource, a 4 × 4 matrix of ash only, ash + brash, brash only and control treatments were planted with oak seedlings (Quercus robur L.). Soil survey was undertaken before ash application and followed over 10 years. By year 2, self-sown grass was dominant in the control and ash plots, and birch (Betula pendula, Roth.) was present across all treatments by year 4. In year 10, oak height was 25–29 per cent greater in brash and ash + brash plots, with DBH increased >20 per cent over the controls. Birch DBH was greater by 30 per cent in brash plots but was over 50 per cent in the ash + brash plots. Foliar concentrations of Ca, K and P significantly increased with ash addition in both oak and birch, as Al, Mn, Fe and Cr decreased. Soil pH (CaCl2) was reduced in all treatments in year 2 likely due to nitrification, during organic matter and needle breakdown, but recovered 8 years later to be significantly highest in ash and ash + brash plots. Mg, K, Ca, Na, Ba and S concentrations were higher in ash plot soils, but soil organic matter, total carbon and total nitrogen declined due to mineralization and uptake by grass and trees. Wood ash addition did not significantly increase heavy metal concentrations in either soil or foliage. In the long term, wood ash aided soil recovery and promoted tree growth in combination with the brash – it could be beneficial for tree growth after thinning/coppicing on heavy mineral soils, with the prerequisite of an existing ground cover. Aim To quantify the effects of wood ash and brash addition over time to soils and tree growth after conifer clearfelling on a lowland clay soil site.
... Additionally, burnt plant parts, for example, bark, wood, leaf, and root (Saarela et al., 2005), and combustion temperature remain important factors that significantly affect the content of specific elements (Zhou et al., 2021). For example, C, H, O, and S may volatilize at high temperatures >500°C (Naylor & Schmidt, 1986;Serafimova et al., 2011). Mineral substitutes are, therefore, recommended during the management of arable fields. ...
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Wood ashes obtained from household heating and cooking are often applied to home gardens and arable fields by farmers. The effect of tree species and their locations on the elemental composition of wood ashes derived from domestic cooking and heating is unknown. The study aimed to discover the fertilizer values of wood ashes obtained from Betula pendula, Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus robur, and Tilia cordata from two different localities, Hlinsko and Mšec, Czech Republic. The total element content in the ashes of dry wood samples (wood and bark) burnt at 460 °C with a wood stove interfaced with a thermometer was determined using portable X‐ray spectrometry. The content (in g kg‐1) of P (3.23–20.53), K (26.79–136.22), Ca (94.89–295.56), and S (2.97–11.75) in the ashes varies according to the tree species, locality, parent rock, and anthropogenic activities in the location of trees. Additionally, trace element contents ranged from 0.63–32.07 g Mn kg‐1, 0.34–4.6 g Fe kg‐1, 32.4–2062 mg Zn kg‐1, 47.61–193.09 mg Cu kg‐1, 3.99–21.53 mg Mo kg‐1, and 1.50–6.62 mg Se kg‐1. The pH of the ashes ranged from 8.71–11.54, suitable to alleviate soil acidity and a condition satisfying soil additive. A significant positive correlation between the contents of Cu, Sr, and Pb with the ashes of Picea abies, Larix decidua, Pinus sylvestris, and Betula pendula at Hlinsko is indicative of ancient anthropogenic activities input in the soil. The combustion of wood under home heating temperatures resulted in the concentration of most risk metal(loid)s, below permissible limits in agricultural soils. Application of wood ashes on arable fields requires considerable caution due to potentially toxic elements (Zn and Pb).
Article
Despite being a bio-based material, wood ash generated by pulp and paper mills is mainly landfilled in Canada. This is because it is perceived as waste material and the certification requirements and regulations controlling its use are complex. To promote wood ash utilization, ash samples from mills in British Columbia (BC), Canada were characterized, and the properties were compared to quality specifications for potential applications. Three types of ash samples were collected: bottom ash, multi-clone (MC) ash, and electrostatic precipitator (ESP) ash. The characteristics of each type of ash were analyzed, and their suitability for various applications was determined. The study found that ESP ash had a higher calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) value than MC ash, making it more useful as a liming material in agricultural land. The study identified quality criteria for industries where wood ash can be used, such as construction, agriculture, composting, stabilization/solidification, liming, mining, and fire-retardant. Each type of ash was evaluated for its use in these industries, and the environmental regulations for each application were considered. It was observed that the quality criteria for one application could differ dramatically from those for another. Intuitively, an ash producer would cross-check the characteristics of their ash types against the quality requirements for potential uses near the ash source because different applications have different quality requirements This article is believed to help identify promising applications of ash thereby removing ash from landfilling and promoting the circular economy.
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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the application of wood-bark ash as a amendment and fertilizer of a young plantation of Pinus radiata grown on an acid soil. Two different doses of ash (5.000 and 10.000 kg ha-1) and one dose of 8:24:16 NPK fertilizer (200 g in hole) were applied at establishment. The response of the soil solid fraction and foliar chemical composition was studied throughout 28 months. Fertilization of the soil with wood-bark ash produced an increase in soil pH, at the same time increasing the availability of Ca, Mg, P and K. Related to this increase, the needle levels of Ca and, in a lower extent, Mg were also higher. Possible diagnosis of vector analysis of foliar nutrient contents and concentrations showed that these two elements limited the species growth.
Chapter
Inadequacy of soils with respect to key properties is overcome by mechanical and chemical modification to improve the strength, durability, and workability and reduces the swell-shrunk magnitudes to improve the life and resistance of the soil blocks to applied load and weathering. The chapter discusses features and mechanisms of commonly used mechanical and chemical stabilization methods. It explores the basics of geopolymer technology and the role of chemical and environmental (temperature) parameters in the strength developed by geopolymer specimens. It examines the environmental implications of using geopolymer technology in earthen building materials. The chapter builds a case for the use of selected native binders (plant fibers, cow dung particles, and wood ash) to stabilize earthen building materials. It discusses the characteristics of plant fibers, cow dung particles, and wood ash followed by their stabilization mechanisms. The possibility of using urea hydrolysis–based microbe-induced carbonate cementation (MICC) in stabilizing earthen building materials is discussed next. The mechanisms and factors affecting MICC production, the influence of MICC on soil properties, and the limitations of ureolytic carbonate precipitation are discussed. The use of MICC in concrete technology and in stabilization of earthen building materials are also considered. Lastly, the possibility and advantages of using cow dung–based MICC + pozzolanic reactions in stabilizing earthen building materials as alternate to ureolytic MICC is presented.
Chapter
Due to an ever-increasing human population and a significant demand for agricultural food security in the public domain, biofertilizer is one of the best technologies for creating a sustainable ecosystem in the globe. Solid-based biofertilizer manufacturing uses a variety of low-cost substrates as a carrier for commercially produced bacterium, fungus, and algae-based biofertilizer. This chapter discusses the cost-effectiveness of solid-based biofertilizer production and the impact of soil health on agriculture productivity, as well as the results obtained by using microbial-based biofertilizers to increase soil microbial population, soil health, and toxic-free agriculture products while reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers. Solid-based biofertilizers are a cost-effective product that saves money while also benefiting the environment and increasing productivity.KeywordsCost effectiveBiofertilizerAshEco-friendlyAgricultureSoil health
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