Intrinsic activation: the relationship between biomass inorganic content and porosity formation during pyrolysis.

The utility of pyrolytic carbons is closely related to their porosity and surface area, there is a clear benefit to the development of biomass pyrolysis processes which produce highly porous carbons. The results presented in this work demonstrate that by using biomass precursors with high inorganic content along with specified process conditions, carbons can be consistently produced with specific surface areas between 900 and 1600 m(2)/g. Results from 12 different source materials show that the formation of increased porosity in pyrolytic carbons is strongly associated with the presence of inorganic elements in the precursors including: magnesium, potassium and sulfur.

Assessment of biochar and iron filing amendments for the remediation of a metal, arsenic and phenanthrene co-contaminated spoil.

Sites contaminated with mixtures of metals, metalloids and organics are difficult to remediate as each contaminant type may require a different treatment. Biochar, with high metal sorption capacity, used singly and in combination with iron filings, is investigated in microcosm trials to immobilise metal(loid)s within a contaminated spoil, thereby enabling revegetation and degradation of organic pollutants. A mine spoil, contaminated with heavy metals, arsenic and spiked with phenanthrene was treated with either 1%w/w biochar, 5%w/w iron or their combination, enhancing phenanthrene degradation by 44-65%.

Infection of Acanthamoeba castellanii with Mycobacterium bovis and M. bovis BCG and survival of M. bovis within the amoebae.

Survival of Mycobacterium bovis after ingestion by protozoa would provide an environmental reservoir for infection of cattle. We have shown that M. bovis survived ingestion by Acanthamoeba castellanii.