Characterization of the poultry litter biomass for production of biochar

Abstract

Brazil emerges as the world's second-largest producer of broiler chicken. In production, there is the formation of the poultry litter, usually consisting of sawdust, water, feed, droppings and feather of the chickens. After the chicken lots are created, the material is discarded. The aim of this study was to characterize the biomass from poultry litter to analyze its potential as a raw material for biochar. The samples were collected in three different times: Pinus spp. sawdust, poultry litter with creation of one chicken lot and with creation of two chicken lots. Moisture tests and proximate analyzes were performed for the three materials and chemical analyzes for the two poultry litter samples. The chemical analyzes did not present significant differences among the samples. The tests showed an increase in moisture content as the chicken lots were create in the litter, reaching 22.11 % after the creation of two lots. The results indicated that from two lots of chickens it is not appropriate to create more lots with the same litter. This material is generally discarded. However, the poultry litter with creation of two lots showed potential to be harnessed as raw material in the manufacture of biochar.