[Terrapreta] Charcoal properties

[Michael Bailes]

The problem I have with charcoal is knowing its pH and its effects on soil
pH sometimes two different and sometimes, unexpected,  things

I would think that the more volatile oils (VM?) in charcoal the better for
promoting the growth of various soil zoology. Given that the resins in
rainforest wood charcoal in TP research seem to show this effect. I would
therefore expect bio-oils to act in a similar manner
Of course there are compressed BBQ "bickettes" which have all sorts of
flammable stuff in them. I would imagine these would be pretty deadly to
plants. These seem to be the most popular here for BBQs. It is often
impossible to buy straight charcoal at all.

The "Readhead" brand charcoal, sold for BBQ's in Australia, comes from
Malaysia but looks like reconstituted Coconut Charcoal, probably from China
or the Pacific
michaelangelica

On 03/03/07, Sean K. Barry <sean.barry at juno.com> wrote:
>
>  Hi Michael,
>
> Thank you for your very interesting comments.  By what you have said in
> your post, ...
>
>  "harmful" charcoal
> indicate that it would have been perfect for barbeque."
>
> and ...
>
> "A good barbeque charcoal will have a VM content of 25 - 30%, whereas a
> charcoal destined for metallurgical use often has VM content below 10%."
> ... would it be fair to infer, then, that relatively high volatile matter
> content (25 - 30%) in charcoal probably does not make a good agricultural
> use charcoal?  Has anyone tested metallurgical use charcoal (@ <10% VM) as
> an AgChar?  What are the pyrolysis conditions under which metallurgical use
> charcoal is made (feedstock, temperature, oxygen or air supply level,
> etc.)?
>



Are there any simple methods (not involving expensive gas chromatographs
> and/or other equipment) to test for VM content?  Like, maybe does low VM
> charcoal combust at a lower or higher temperature the higher VM charcoal?
> Do they have a different densities?
>
>
>
>
Michaelangelica

"Five years of Guantanamo:
Justice delayed is justice denied"
-Amnesty.International.
:candle:
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