Designer Biochar - low-cost adsorbents for nitrate and phosphate nutrients to prevent eutrophication of watercourses and to provided nutrients in soil augmentation

Project Summary/AbstractFunding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-SBIR-009301Topic Area 8.8: Biofuels and Biobased ProductsTitle of Project: Designer Biochar - Low-cost adsorbents and fertilizers for nitrate and phosphateadsorption and nutrient deliveryPD/PI: Brigano Frank A. Glanris Inc.Co PD/PI: Mlsna Todd E. Mississippi State UniversityCo PD/PI: Pittman Charles Mississippi State UniversityGlanris Inc. in cooperation with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Department ofChemistry proposes the development of a low-cost sustainable green adsorbent/fertilizerproduced from agricultural waste (rice hulls). It will adsorb and hold nutrients that promote theeutrophication of natural waters after runoff from contaminated soil. This product modified bychemistries proposed under this Grant application would prevent the discharge of nitrates andphosphates (primary plant nutrients) from entering surface and ground waters either fromagricultural runoff or wastewater treatment facilities. The nutrient-enhanced biochar productmade from rice husks (RHBC) could also be used to augment soil by delivering the adsorbednutrients to the plants in addition to biochar's well-known improvements in soil pH water- holding capacity carbon sequestration ion exchange and microorganism promotion. GlanrisInc. produces RHBC. Rice is the world's third most-produced crop with more than 750 metrictons produced annually. At 150 million tons rice husks are a major source of agricultural waste.RHBC sequesters a significant fraction of the rice husk carbon. The conversion of biomass tobiochar removes carbon from the normal carbon cycle converting it to stable carbon that won'tbreak down for hundreds to 1000's of years thus reducing greenhouse gasses that lead to climatechange. The potential for carbon sequestration is huge. This Grant will fund research effortstowards the goal of scaling up the production of low-cost modified RHBCs effective at removingcontaminants from agricultural and stormwater runoff. Low-cost treatment techniques togenerate chemically augmented biochar or other chemical iterations will be developed andcommercialized. The technologies to enhance the RHBC have been developed in the MSU labsat a small scale. The ultimate goal of the team would be to develop large-scale production up toa cubic yard per day during Phase II at a production cost of ≤$250/cubic yard.