biostudies-literatureUnknown18(2)Vilakazi SLarge amount of wastes are burnt or left to decompose on site or at landfills where they cause air pollution and nutrient leaching to groundwater. Waste management strategies that return these food wastes to agricultural soils recover the carbon and nutrients that would otherwise have been lost, enrich soils and improve crop productivity. This study characterised biochar produced by pyrolysis of potato peels (PP), cull potato (CP) and pine bark (PB) at 350 and 650°C. The biochar types were analysed for pH, phosphorus (P) and other elemental composition. Proximate analysis was done following ASTM standard 1762–84, while surface functional groups and external morphology characteristics were determined using FTIR and SEM; respectively. Pine bark biochar had higher yield and fixed carbon (FC),PloS onehttps://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9943015biostudies-literatureCharacteristics and liming potential of biochar types from potato waste and pine-barkPMC9943015Muchaonyerwa PButhelezi-Dube NVilakazi SfalseCharacteristics and liming potential of biochar types from potato waste and pine-barkLarge amount of wastes are burnt or left to decompose on site or at landfills where they cause air pollution and nutrient leaching to groundwater. Waste management strategies that return these food wastes to agricultural soils recover the carbon and nutrients that would otherwise have been lost, enrich soils and improve crop productivity. This study characterised biochar produced by pyrolysis of potato peels (PP), cull potato (CP) and pine bark (PB) at 350 and 650°C. The biochar types were analysed for pH, phosphorus (P) and other elemental composition. Proximate analysis was done following ASTM standard 1762–84, while surface functional groups and external morphology characteristics were determined using FTIR and SEM; respectively. Pine bark biochar had higher yield and fixed carbon (FC),2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jan2025-04-05T11:31:34.346Z2025-02-18T22:54:50.027ZS-EPMC9943015