ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Mitigating Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere
by Utilizing Biochar as a Fertilizer; A Step
Towards Sustainable Agriculture
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1
Center for Analytical Chemistry, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
2
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Bahria University, Islamabad, Pakistan
3
University of Management and Technology Lahore, Pakistan
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College of Pharmaceutical Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
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Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University,
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Submission date: 2023-09-04
Final revision date: 2023-12-18
Acceptance date: 2024-03-27
Online publication date: 2024-07-29
Corresponding author
Fiza Sarwar
Bahria University Islamabad Pakistan, Bahria University. E-8, Naval Complex, Islamabad P, 44000, Islamabad, Pakistan
Mushtaq Ahmad Ansari
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University,
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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ABSTRACT
The use of agricultural waste to produce value-added products has aided in managing waste
management difficulties while somehow addressing cost-effectiveness concerns. The current research
addresses environmental issues and helps to promote ecologically friendly agricultural practices in
Punjab, Pakistan, by using banana and grapefruit peel biomass, converting them to biochar by pyrolysis,
and further studying their efficacy as sustainable fertilizer. The return of biochar obtained from
agricultural waste to the agricultural field is a sustainable approach for increasing the yield of crop
output while reducing the environmental impact of traditional fertilizers. Furthermore, it improves soil
condition by regulating pH, water holding capacity, soil organic carbon, and soil ion exchange potential.
Zinc oxide loaded biochar was synthesized from banana and grapefruit peel biochar. Pyrolysis was done
at 400-500ºC as part of the process. Co-precipitation method was used to impregnate ZnO nanoparticles
in biochar and proved an efficient and dependable approach. In-situ loading was done. XRD, elemental
analysis of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur (CHNS), FT-IR, and TGA methods were used to
characterize synthesized materials. The adsorption ability of ZnO loaded biochar, soil, and raw biochar
was investigated using several physical tests such as swelling ratio, water retention, absorbance, and
equilibrium water content percentage. As a result, the adsorption capacity of ZnO loaded biochar was
shown to be greater than that of raw biochar. Zinc loaded biochar was used as a fertilizer in Cicer
arietinum (gram). Synthesized nano-fertilizers exhibit enhanced prolonged nutrient release, plant growth, and improved soil fertility, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional
fertilizers by reducing nutrient loss.