Biodiesel Waste Products as Soil Amendments - Field Study and Runoff Impacts
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2012-08-01
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TRIS Online Accession Number:01446300
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Edition:Technical; July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012.
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NTL Classification:NTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Materials;NTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Pavement Management and Performance;NTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Soils and Geology;
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Abstract:For every ten kilograms of biodiesel that is produced, approximately 1 kilogram of glycerol is created as a byproduct. Glycerol, also known as glycerin or glycyl alcohol is a chemical used in all manner of common goods including but not limited to makeup, health products, foods, shampoos, and moisture absorbents. However, the crude glycerol created as a byproduct of biodiesel production is tainted with potassium hydroxide and methanol and this makes it unsuitable for commercial use without expensive refinement. Current common methods for disposing of glycerol include incineration which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A more carbon neutral option is land application where glycerol can increase soil organic matter and may sequester carbon. Possible problems involved with land application include its effects on plants, microbes, and larger biological systems. The objectives of this research project were to evaluate the effects of crude glycerol on plant and microbial systems in relation to soils and the potential for runoff contamination. Three tests were used: Concentration comparison in soil with respirometry, plant germination and growth, and runoff testing by test plot application. This project is a continuation of project MBTC 3025 and some of the results included in this report were previously reported in the previous report. The results of the respirometer test show that microbial inhibition is limited and temporary at certain concentrations and not at all inhibitory at other concentrations. Microbial activity was observed in a variety of concentrations of glycerol applied to soil in laboratory tests. In plant tests, low concentrations showed greater growth over control samples and high concentrations showed inhibitory effects on both germination and growth. In land application runoff studies, runoff from glycerol treated plots showed total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations similar to controls and less than plots treated with fertilizer.
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