# A Thermogravimetric Analysis of Biomass Conversion to Biochar: Experimental and Kinetic Modeling
## 1 Introduction  
One significant source of biochar is biomass. The carbon-rich byproduct of thermally breaking down biomass is called biochar (pyrolyzed biomass) [1]. The use of biochar as a soil additive has gained a lot of interest because it improves soil carbon sequestration, which lowers atmospheric CO2 levels [2]. In addition to sequestering carbon in the soil, biochar has the potential to act as a fertilizer and as a soil improveIn recent years, due to its physicochemical properties, such as porosity and surface functioning, the development of carbonaceous materials, like biochar, has attracted the interest of researchers [3]. According to the kinetic and characterization results obtained by [PERSON], et al. [4], it was understood that Aloe vera leaf waste is a very suitable source for biochar production and the obtained biochar can be evaluated in different fields such as adsorption, agriculture, and combustion. The experimental work presented by [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] [2] focuses on the physical properties and compositions of the produced biochar, willow (_Salix_ spp.) and pine (_Pinus sylvestris_). Various fruit-waste-based biochars were used as effective materials to remove a variety of contaminants, including both organic and inorganic pollutants [5] because fruit peels have a high concentration of functional groups (such as carboxylic groups, amino, and phenolic compounds) on their surface. Previous studies [6] have demonstrated the benefits of fruit waste as an inexpensive adsorbent that is also environmentally friendly, widely available, highly efficient, and with low treatment requirements. Approximately one-third of global food produced is estimated to be lost and these wastes have been estimated at 1 trillion USD per year. Potato is a primary edible crop, with an annual production of 370 million tons. In recent years, EU countries have significantly increased the percentage of fresh potatoes used in processing industries, even for human consumption. The top countries with industrial potato processing are the Netherlands with 67%, Denmark with 44.6%, and France with 40.8%, respectively. In 2020, Romania represented about one-third of all holdings that produced potatoes [7]. A significant portion of the potato is utilized as a fresh product, while the rest is processed and consumed as dry potato, starch, chips, and fries [8]. Processed potatoes were valued at 10 billion euros in the European Union in 2017, which is 1.5% of the total production value of the European food industry, according to EUROSTAT [9]. The most popular potato product that is processed--producing an enormous amount of potato peel as a byproduct--is potato chips. Potato peel is a zero-value byproduct, which occurs in huge amounts after processing. Depending on the peeling method used, it ranges from 15 to 40% of the first product mass [10]. Most of the waste produced by potato processing industries is either disposed of in landfills, resulting in environmental repercussions, or utilized as animal feed, with low added value in the production chain [11]. Recently, the utilization of potato processing byproducts as biomass sources for energy and biogas generation has been proposed [12]. The worldwide apple production is estimated at approximately 75 million tons. Based on the 2020 data from Eurostat [13], Romania has the third position (15.38%) in the Southeast Europe region and is among the top five apple-producing European countries. Moreover, Romania accounted for around 11.75% of total apple production and 4.54% of overall apple production among the 27 European nations [14]. Approximately 18% of global apple production is usually converted into various products, including jams, syrups, purees, and beverages. This results in a significant quantity of byproducts whose disposal may lead to environmental contamination and incur additional costs for food manufacturing plants.