Chemical composition of biochar from combustion in local heating

Abstract

Chemical composition of biochar from combustion in household heating was analyzed by pyrolysis gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detector. Various types of wooden briquettes used as a fuel are compared on the basis of concentrations of organic compounds identified in pyrolysates from biochar. Anhydrosaccharides, retene and chrysene can be used as organic markers. The retene/ (retene + chrysene) ratio has the same range of values in biochar and in PM particles in the atmosphere. This ratio can be utilized for identification of burned biomass from the sample of biochar.