ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Thermo-chemical properties of biomass from Posidonia oceanica

Agnieszka Plis, Janusz Lasek, Agnieszka Skawińska, and Marcin Kopczyński

Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal, ul. Zamkowa 1, 41-803, Zabrze, Poland

E-mail: jlasek@ichpw.zabrze.pl

Abstract: Posidonia oceanica (PO) is a marine plant endemic to the Mediterranean basin, forming extensive grasslands. Onshore residues represent a major environmental, economic, social and hygienic problem in all coastal zones of the Mediterranean basin due to the great disturbance they cause to bathers and beachfront populations. This work sought to evaluate the thermo-chemical properties of PO in pyrolysis and thermo-oxidative degradation processes. The investigations were carried out using a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) and an infrared spectrometer (FTIR). In addition, proximate, ultimate, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and biodegradability analyses were carried out on PO. The biodegradability analysis confirmed that residues of PO were a biodegradable material. Accordingly, the application of PO as a feedstock for combustion/co-combustion or biorefining is recommended.

Keywords: Posidonia oceanica – TG-MS-FTIR – pyrolysis – combustion – biodegradable fraction

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-013-0532-4

Chemical Papers 68 (7) 879–889 (2014)