Speciation of main nutrients (N/P/K) in hydrochars produced from the hydrothermal carbonization of swine manure under different reaction temperatures

Abstract

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been proved to be a promising technology for swine manure (SM) treatment. Currently, there is a lack of systematic understanding of the transformation characteristics of nutrient speciation in the HTC of SM. In this study, the speciation of the main nutrients (N/P/K) in SM-derived hydrochar produced at different reaction temperatures (200- 280 °C) was investigated. The recovery of P (61.0-67.1%) in hydrochars was significantly higher than that of N (23.0-39.8%) and K (25.5-30.0%), and the increase in reaction temperature promoted the recovery of P and reduced the recovery of N. After the HTC treatment, the percentage of soluble/available P was reduced from 61.6% in raw SM to 4.0-23.9% in hydrochars, while that of moderately labile/ slow-release P was improved from 29.2% in raw SM feedstock to 65.5-82.7%. An obvious reduction was also found in the amounts of available N (from 51.3% in raw SM feedstock to 33.0-40.5% in hydrochars). The percentages of slow-release N and residual N in hydrochars produced at 240 °C reached the maximum and minimum values (46.4% and 18.9%), respectively. A total of 49.5-58.3% of K retained in hydrochars was residual (invalid) potassium. From the perspective of the mobility and availability of N, P and K only, it was suggested that the HTC of SM should be carried out at 220-240 °C. Compared with the original SM, it is safer and more effective to use the SM-derived hydrochar as an organic fertilizer.