ABSTRACT
Biochar is a carbon-rich substance produced by heating biomass like wood, crop leftovers and so on with little air. Biochar is excellent for soil amendment and carbon sequestration. Biochar was prepared using unripe plantain peels as the feedstock at 300 and 350°C. Plantain peels is an agro waste material containing mostly hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and carbon. The feedstock (plantain peels) for biochar preparation was collected and treated was characterized based on the pH, moisture content, electrical conductivity, bulk density, ash content, cation exchange capacity, C/N ratio and surface area. The results for the biochar made at 300°C include pH =10.66, moisture content=22%, Electrical conductivity= 1016, Bulk density= 0.288, Ash content= 5.8%, CEC =28, C/N Ratio= 64.198 and Surface Area = 6.408. The results for the biochar made at 350°C include pH =10.80, moisture content=18%, Electrical conductivity= 996, Bulk density= 0.209, Ash content= 6.2%, CEC =48, C/N Ratio=59.127 and Surface Area = 8.010. It can be concluded that both biochar samples had a fair share of desirable properties but the biochar made from plantain peels at 3500C is more preferred to that of 3000C.
