DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v28i1.276

Keywords: Biochar, rubber sludge, food waste, anaerobic digestion, biogas

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is recognized as one of the most sustainable, cost-effective and efficient means to cater food waste (FW) problems. However, the inconsistency of the organic content in the FW increases the instability of the system and results in a significant rate of failure. Thus, a biochar is introduced to the system to aid the process. This study aims to conduct the characterization of biochar derived from rubber sludge to develop a more stable AD system. The raw rubber sludge undergoes a pyrolysis process at temperatures ranging from 350 to 750 °C for 2 hours. The properties of the produced biochar were then thoroughly analyzed using elemental analyzer, SEM-EDX, FTIR, and BET methods. The analysis indicates that the biochar possesses a high specific surface area and high roughness with micropores formed, making it an effective supplementary media. The essential nutrients required for AD system are also present in the biochar. Hence, the incorporation of biochar in AD shows great potential in enhancing the stability and efficiency of the AD system.