Composition, biomass components

Table 1.4 General chemical compositions of selected biomass components and petroleum (Pun et ah, 2007)...

Biomass Component Chemical Composition Petroleum Component Chemical Composition... 

The olive oil pomace is a solid by-product in the extraction of olive oil. This olive biomass has a very complex composition, including components such as water, salts, proteins, hydrocarbons and triacylglycerols. Moreover, the relative concentrations of the residues can vary greatly, depending on the mechanical system employed for the extraction of the oil (1). Data on chemical variations using one of the most common methods, two-phase centrifugation, is still not well known. 

In this way, the near-linear chlorophyll-phosphorus relationship in lakes depends upon the outcome of a large number of interactive processes occurring in each one of the component systems in the model. One of the most intriguing aspects of those components is that the chlorophyll models do not need to take account of the species composition of the phytoplankton in which chlorophyll is a constituent. The development of blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria is associated with eutrophication and phosphorus concentration, yet it is not apparent that the yield of cyanobacterial biomass requires any more mass-specific contribution from phosphorus. The explanation for this paradox is not well understood, but it is extremely important to understand that it is a matter of dynamics. The bloom-forming cyanobacteria are among the slowest-growing and most light-sensitive members of the phytoplankton. ... 

As an illustration, let us take a look at a bioreactor (Fig. 1.1). To find out if the bioreactor is operating properly, we monitor variables such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, liquid level, feed flow rate, and the rotation speed of the impeller. In some operations, we may also measure the biomass and the concentration of a specific chemical component in the liquid or the composition of the gas effluent. In addition, we may need to monitor the foam head and make sure it does not become too high. 

Another approach to produce chemicals via degraded molecules is the fast pyrolysis of biomass at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. This gives gas, tar and up to 80 wt.% of a so-called bio-oil liquid phase, which is a mixture of hundreds molecules. Some of compounds produced by pyrolysis have been identified as fragments of the basic components of biomass, viz. lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. The bio-oil composition depends upon the nature of starting... 

Fast pyrolysis oil has almost the same elemental composition as the biomass itself hence it can be seen as a kind of liquid wood. It can be transported, can be pressurized and processed more easily than solid biomass. One of the major difficulties in the catalytic conversion of solid biomass is achieving effident con-tad between the heterogeneous catalyst (which is most of the times a solid) and the biomass itself. In this context, bio-oil provides more options for easier catalytic conversion. However, pyrolysis is a very complex and the oil is a difficult to handle chemical mixture. Complete vaporization, for instance, is not possible because part of the components start to decompose and polymerize upon heating... 

Harward and Treshow exposed 15 species, representative of the aspen plant community, to ozone at 0, 0.05, 0.15, and 0.30 ppm and ambient air during the growing season and reported effects in all species at the highest pollution concentration (Table 11-6). There was considerable plant variability, and only six species reproduced. However, vigor was reduced and most species were sensitive. Price and Treshow found major biomass reductions in six grass and two tree species exposed for 4 h/day to ozone at 0.15-0.33 ppm over a growing season. They also found a reduction in or loss of some reproductive components. These effects could result in subtle shifts in conununity composition after several years of ozone exposure. 

Complex pyrolysis chemistry takes place in the conversion system of any conventional solid-fuel combustion system. The pyrolytic properties of biomass are controlled by the chemical composition of its major components, namely cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Pyrolysis of these biopolymers proceeds through a series of complex, concurrent and consecutive reactions and provides a variety of products which can be divided into char, volatile (non-condensible) organic compounds (VOC), condensible organic compounds (tar), and permanent gases (water vapour, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide). The pyrolysis products should finally be completely oxidised in the combustion system (Figure 14). Emission problems arise as a consequence of bad control over the combustion system. 

Cellulose is found in nature in combination with various other substances, the nature and composition of which depend on the source and previous history of the sample. In most plants, there are three major components cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. Efficient utilization of all three components would greatly help the economics of any scheme to obtain fuel from biomass. Hemicelluloses, lignocellulose and lignin remaining after enzymatic degradation of the cellulose in wood would require chemical or thermal treatment - as distinct from biochemical - to produce a liquid fuel. 

Particle physical properties typically change under the impact of smoke plume but these changes may not be specific for the wildfire smoke. In addition to biomass burning, particle mass or number concentration can increase due to the biogenic or other anthropogenic sources, e.g., traffic or industrial emissions. Chemical composition of particles is more unique to particle source, however, particles with similar chemistry can have different origin. Physical and chemical properties of the LRT biomass burning particles observed in Northern Europe are discussed below. Physical properties and the chemical components measured from the smoke particles are summarized in Table 2. The measurements of PM mass concentrations are excluded from Table 2 as nearly all the studies had some measurements of particle mass. 

After release from fires, organic and some inorganic components undergo rapid or more delayed chemical transformation in the atmosphere. The physical properties as well as chemical composition of smoke particles may alter on the way from the source areas (biomass burning areas) to the measurement sites in Northern Europe. There are several reasons why particle properties change. Chemical components can, e.g., become oxidized or substituted in particles, but also the condensation of secondary material onto the LRT particles during the transport changes the particle properties. 

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