Chemical Characteristics of Palm Frond and Empty Fruit Bunch Biochar in Pyrolysis Method

Abstract

Indonesia's palm oil production continues to increase. The increase in palm oil production has implications for the high amount of waste generated in the form of solid and liquid waste. Solid waste that is produced is fronds and empty bunches. So far, the utilization of frond and empty bunch waste has not been maximized, so that its presence in the oil palm plantation area accumulates and tends to interfere with oil palm maintenance and harvesting activities. Processing the waste of fronds and empty bunches with pyrolysis method to make biochar can be the right solution to maximize the use value of these wastes. Biochar has many benefits for soil and plants such as soil improver that can effectively increase soil pH and CEC. In addition, it can help bind nutrients in the soil so that they become available to plants. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical characteristics of biochar waste fronds and empty bunches. The results of chemical tests of palm frond biochar and empty palm bunches obtained the results of N, P, K, C/N, Ash Content, pH, and C-Organic respectively of 0.47%, 0.04%, 0.96%, 4.86%, 7.96, and 50.18% on palm frond biochar and 0.91%, 0.03%, 0.67%, 7,18%, 6.31 %, and 58.04% on empty palm bunches. These results meet the requirements of SNI 06-3730-1995 to be applied to soil.