Environmental Impact Assessment of the Application of Pyrogenic Carbon in Soil

Jorge Laine

Centro de Química, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela..

DOI: 10.4236/jep.2013.410137                

Abstract

World increasing population and use of energy for transportation and electricity are demanding more extensive and more efficient use of land for agriculture; aiming to both food and biofuel supplies. This communication assesses the possible improvements in soil fertility, capture of greenhouse gas, and rainfall, as a result of the large scale terrestrial application of pyrogenic carbon aiming for desert greening. Fossil hydrocarbon coke is taken into account for this proposal because of the exhaustion of light petroleum proven reserves that is leading to a scenario of abundant coke production from the processing of non-conventional reserves.

Keywords

Pyrogenic Carbon; Coke; Terra-Preta; Desert Greening; Albedo

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	J. Lehmann, J. Gaunt and M. Rondon, “Bio-Char Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems—A Review,” Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2006, pp. 403-427. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11027-005-9006-5
[2]	B. Liang, J. Lehmann, D. Solomon, J. Kinyangi, J. Grossmann, B. O’Neill, et al., “Black Carbon Increases Cation Exchange Capacity in Soils,” Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol. 70, No. 5, 2006, pp. 1719-1730. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2005.0383
[3]	B. Glaser, L. Haumaier, G. Guggenberger and W. Zech, “The Terra Preta Phenomenon: A Model for Sustainable Agriculture in the Humid Tropics,” Naturwissenschaften, Vol. 88, No. 1, 2001, pp. 37-41.
[4]	A. Balliett, “Terra Preta: Magic Soil of the Lost Amazon,” Acres, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2007, pp. 1-4.
[5]	C. Mann, “The Real Dirt on Rainforest Fertility,” Science, Vol. 297, No. 5583, 2002, pp. 920-923. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.297.5583.920
[6]	J. Laine, “One Hundred and Fifty Years of Combustion of Fossil Hydrocarbons: The Emergent Alternatives,” Ingeniería y Ciencia, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2009, pp. 11-31.
[7]	C.-H. Cheng, J. Lehmann, J. E. Thies and S. D. Burton, “Stability of Black Carbon in Soils across a Climatic Gradient,” Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 113, No. G2, 2008, pp. 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2007JG000642
[8]	J. Lehmann, “A Handful of Carbon,” Nature, Vol. 447, No. 7141, 2007, pp. 143-144. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/447143a
[9]	W. G. Sombroeck, “Biomass and Carbon Storage in the Amazon Ecosystems,” Interciencia, Vol. 17, 1992, pp. 269-272.
[10]	E. Marris, “Black Is the New Green,” Nature, Vol. 442, No. 7103, 2008, pp. 624-626. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/442624a
[11]	J. Laine, “Perspective of the Preparation of Agrichars Using Fossil Hydrocarbon Coke,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 16, No. 8, 2012, pp. 5597-5602. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.06.009
[12]	M. Ogawa, “Utilization of Symbiotic Microorganisms and Charcoal for Desert Greening,” Green Age, Vol. 14, 1998, pp. 5-11.
[13]	J. Pietikainen, O. Kiikkila and H. Fritze, “Charcoal as a Habitat for Microbes and Its Effect on the Microbial Community of the Underlying Humus,” Oikos, Vol. 89, No. 2, 2000, pp. 231-242. http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0706.2000.890203.x
[14]	J. L. Deenik, T. McClellan, G. Uehara, M. J. Antal and S. Campbell, “Charcoal Volatile Matter Content Influences Plant Growth and Soil Nitrogen Transformations,” Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol. 74, No. 4, 2010, pp. 1259-1270. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2009.0115
[15]	J. Laine, “Biofues and Human Nutrition,” Interciencia, Vol. 33, 2008, pp. 71-73.
[16]	O. J. Metzger and A. Huttermann, “Sustainable Global Energy Supply Based on Lignocellulosic Biomass from Afforestation of Degraded Areas,” Naturwissenschaften, Vol. 96, No. 2, 2009, pp. 279-288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-008-0479-4
[17]	C. Van Nice, J. Lee and M. McGinley, “Meig’s Maps on Arid and Semiarid Regions,” Encyclopedia of Earth, 2011. http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/168410/
[18]	A. Al-Karaghouli, D. Rennea and L. L. Kazmerski, “Solar and Wind Opportunities for Water Desalination in the Arab Regions,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 13, No. 9, 2009, pp. 2397-2407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2008.05.007
[19]	F. Trieb, “Concentrated Solar Power for Seawater Desalination,” MENAREC4, Damascus, 20-24 June 2007. http://www.easac.eu/fileadmin/Reports/Easac_CSP_Web-Final.pdf
[20]	J. Enciso and M. Mecke, “Using Renewable Energy to Pump Water,” 2013. http://aces.nmsu.edu/ces/windmill/documents/using-renevable-energy-to-pump-water.pdf
[21]	K. Laval, “General Circulation Model Experiments with Surface Albedo Change,” Climate Change, Vol. 9, No. 1-2, 1986, pp. 91-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00140528
[22]	G. W. Paltridge, “Rainfall-Albedo Feedback to Climate,” Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, Vol. 117, No. 499, 1991, pp. 647-650. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.49711749911
[23]	D. O. Fuller and C. Ottke, “Land Cover, Rainfall and Land-Surface Albedo in West Africa,” Climatic Change, Vol. 54, No. 1-2, 2002, pp. 181-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1015730900622
[24]	B. K. Bhattacharyaa, K. R. Gunjala, S. Panigrahya and J. S. Pariharb, “Albedo-Rainfall Feedback over Indian Monsoon Region Using Long Term Observation between 1981 to 2000,” ISPRS Archives XXXVIII-8/W3 Workshop Proceedings: Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture, Ahmedabad, 17-18 December 2009, pp. 344-347.
[25]	C. E. Doughty, S. C. Loarie and C. B. Field, “Theoretical Impact of Changing Albedo on Precipitation at the Southernmost Boundary of the ITCZ in South America,” Earth Interactions, Vol. 16, No. 8, 2012, pp. 1-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2012EI422.1