In the present study, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the impact of pyrolysis temperature on the outcome yields of waste coconut shells in a fixed bed reactor under varying conditions of pyrolysis temperature, from 400 to 800 °C. The temperature was increased at a stable heating rate of about 10 °C/min, while keeping the sweeping gas (Ar) flow rate constant at about 100 mL/min. The bio-oil was described by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) investigations and demonstrated to be an exceptionally oxygenated complex mixture. The resulting bio-chars were characterized by elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The output of bio-char was diminished pointedly, from 33.6% to 28.6%, when the pyrolysis temperature ranged from 400 to 600 °C, respectively. In addition, the bio-chars were carbonized with the expansion of the pyrolysis temperature. Moreover, the remaining bio-char carbons were improved under a stable structure. Experimental results showed that the highest bio-oil yield was acquired at 600 °C, at about 48.7%. The production of gas increased from 15.4 to 18.3 wt.% as the temperature increased from 400 to 800 °C. Additionally, it was observed that temperature played a vital role on the product yield, as well as having a vital effect on the characteristics of waste coconut shell slow-pyrolysis.

Thermochemical process of biomass is being considered as a latest technique for the restoration of energy source and biochemical products. In this study, the influence of the different heating rates on pyrolysis behaviors and kinetic of jute stick were investigated to justify the waste jute stick biomass as a potential source of bioenergy. Pyrolysis experiments were carried out at four several heating rates of 10, 20, 30 and 40 °C/min, by utilizing the thermogravimetric analyzer (TG-DTA) and a fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor. Two different kinetic methods, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW) were used to determine the distinct kinetic parameters. The experimental results showed that, the heating rates influenced significantly on the position of TG curve and maximum Tm peaks and highest decomposition rate of the jute stick biomass. Both the highest point of TG and the lowest point of Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) curves were shifted towards the maximum temperature. However, the heating rates also influenced the products of pyrolysis yield, including bio-char, bio-oil and the non-condensable gases. The average values of activation energy were found to be 139.21 and 135.99 kJ/mol based on FWO and KAS models, respectively.

Coconut shell and husk are two biomasses wastes abundant in most of the coastal countries. However, despite their enormous potential as energy sources, they are hardly studied and their thermal characteristics are still not well known. In this study, both biomasses are thermally degraded through thermogravimetry (TG-DTA) and their pyrolysis product yield such as char, tar and gases are analyzed. The TG-DTA results show that pyrolysis of biomass consists of three stages. Three stages can be outlined as: (1) dehydration process for temperatures below 122°C, (2) pyrolytic cracking from 122°C to 400°C, stage consist of two exothermic simultaneous processes where hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin are decomposed and a high amount of volatile matter formation occurs and (3) the last endothermic decomposition of the lignin at temperatures above 400°C. From the pyrolytic results, it is showed that the char and gases yields were increased with the decrement tar. The gas-evolving profiles from pyrolyzing the coconut shell and husk components in a packed bed, monitored by a GC-TCD and a GC-FID, showed similar behavior. H 2 was released out at a higher temperature (>450°C) and it got the maximum rate at 700°C then it decreased. CO 2 was released out at 130°C-750°C and got the maximum releasing value at 300°C-400°C. The released CO showed almost similar pattern with that of CO 2. However, the release rate was lower than CO 2 and the maximum release rate of CO was found at 300°C-400°C. CH 4 was released out at the temperature between 200°C-850°C, and it got the maximum rate at 550°C. The releasing of hydrocarbon was generally very low.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation not only increases the growth but also improves the quality of many commercial plants.  Tea (Camellia sinensis) plants were grown on different growth medium (with and without AMF inoculation) and the chemical properties of the leaves were assayed and compared. The growth media were sterilized soil with AMF, sterilized soil, natural soil inoculated with AMF, natural soil, and natural soil in natural condition with AMF. The highest root colonization (23 %) was found in tea plants grown on natural soil with AMF, whereas no colonization was found in the sterilized soil treatment. The highest level of leaf chlorophyll-a (2.74±0.06 μg.mL-1), chlorophyll-b (1.77±0.03 μg.mL-1) and carotenoid (0.35±0.01 μg.mL-1) contents were found in tea plants grown on natural soil under natural condition with AMF. The highest polyphenol concentration (64.46 mg.L-1) was found in natural soil inoculated with AMF whereas the lowest (38.09 mg.L-1) was recorded in sterilized soil. The highest contents of tannin (30.34 mg.mL-1) and reducing sugar (46.61 mg.L-1) were recorded in plants grown on natural soil under natural condition with AMF and the lowest values (21.22 mg.mL-1, 33.16 mg.L-1, respectively) in sterilized soil treatment. Though antioxidant properties (% scavenging effect) did not differed due to treatments, the highest IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid) concentration (3.16 μg.mL-1) was recorded in tea plants grown on natural soil under natural condition with AMF. The study concludes that AMF inoculation improves the quality of tea leaves.