Excellence in Research: System Oriented Research and Environmental Impact of Poultry Litter Conversion Process into Biochar

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Excessive land application of poultry waste (called litter) has been linked to eutrophication, pathogen contamination, fish death, and other negative effects on human and animal health. Increases in poultry production in the Delmarva Peninsula underscore the need for more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable disposal technologies for poultry litter. Pyrolysis of poultry litter has promise to produce nutrient-rich biochar while killing off any microorganisms that would otherwise trigger negative environmental health effects. Production yield, quality, and structure of biochar from pyrolysis depend on physicochemical properties (e.g., moisture content, particle size) and varying pyrolysis conditions (e.g., temperature, heating rate, residence time, pressure, catalyst). This study will develop an innovative evaluation method for studying the effects of poultry litter properties and pyrolysis conditions on biochar properties and yield. Researchers will measure biophysical system responses and impact of applying prepared poultry litter-based biochar. They will perform a life-cycle assessment (LCA) with techno-economic analysis of biochar production from poultry litter and its core applications.The project will contribute to the development of a comprehensive evaluation method for the physicochemical properties of biomass fuels (e.g., poultry litter) and benefits of biochar on soil properties and plant growth. In addition, an improved life cycle analysis (LCA) will help to effectively evaluate the environmental, economic, and social attributes of the pyrolysis process for converting poultry litter waste into poultry litter biochar. This project will facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration between Morgan State University's Departments of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Chemistry so that each department can utilize state-of-the-art instrumentation needed for undertaking novel research applications of poultry litter pyrolysis technology. The project will introduce new tools, instrumentation, methods, and processes to minority students to facilitate diverse and interdisciplinary collaborations. The project will also build a new systematic process for understanding the production, applications, and benefits of biochar. This study will assist regional poultry farmers (i.e., about 2,000 farms in Maryland) in selecting cost-effective bedding materials and optimizing pyrolysis conditions for converting poultry litter into high-quality poultry litter biochar.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.