Predicting pyrogenic organic matter mineralization from its initial properties and implications for carbon management

Predicting pyrogenic carbon (PyC) or biochar stability from its precursor properties is critical for evaluating and managing terrestrial C stocks. Transmission mode Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy was compared with proximate analysis data and H/C and O/C for predicting C mineralization. PyC produced at 7 different temperatures from 6 different feedstocks, in addition to the original feedstock materials, was incubated for 3 yr at 30 °C in a sand matrix. A C debt or credit ratio was calculated by comparing the C remaining in the incubated PyC sample (accounting for the measured C lost during initial PyC production) to the C remaining in the incubated original feedstock. A value > 1 indicates that more C remains in the PyC than in the original feedstock (credit), while a value < 1 indicates a debt. After 3 yr, PyC produced at 300 °C lost significantly more C than higher temperature PyC material, but significant differences in C loss between PyC produced at temperatures ⩾ 350 °C were not detectable. The best predictor of C loss was a multiple linear regression model using the fractional FTIR signals at 816, 1048, 1374, 1424, 1460, 1590, 1700 and 2925 cm−1 as parameters (R2 0.80, p < 0.0001). After 3 yr, the C debt or credit ratio reached values significantly > 1 for all corn PyC samples and some bull, dairy and poultry PyC samples, resulting in net C credit, while all pine and oak PyC samples remained in debt. This C debt or credit ratio reveals that, depending on the timeline of interest, producing relatively low temperature PyC with less initial C loss can result in greater C savings than producing higher temperature PyC, even though the C remaining after exposure to higher pyrolysis temperatures is more stable.