ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Processing of Rape Straw Ash into Compound
Fertilizers Using Sugar Factory Waste
Rasa Paleckienė1, Alfredas M. Sviklas1, Rasa Šlinkšienė1, Virginijus Štreimikis2
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1Department of Physical Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilėnų pl. 19,
50254 Kaunas, Lithuania
2“Arvi” ir ko, J. Basanavičiaus a. 8, 68308 Marijampolė, Lithuania
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2012;21(4):993-999
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Rape straw is a waste product of rapeseed oil production that can be processed for use by burning. This
study examined the processing of rape straw ash into compound fertilizers containing phosphorus, potassium,
calcium, magnesium, and microelements by granulation using additives from sugar factories, such as sugar
factory lime and molasses. Rape straw ash was examined by chemical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry-
thermogravimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction analysis. The optimum parameters of compound
fertilizer granulation and the main physicochemical properties of the product, such as particle size distribution,
moisture content, pH, and particle-crushing strength were determined using standard methods. The
results of our investigation show that compound fertilizers of 0-6-21-23CaO-2MgO grade can be obtained
from rape straw ash using sugar factory lime and molasses.