Application of Rice Stubble Synthesized Zeolite for Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Abstract

This investigation aims to study the value of synthesized zeolite in reducing greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emitted by rice stubble. The experiment was divided into 2 parts. Part I comprised a study of the efficiency of GHGs reduction by synthesized zeolite and part II involved application of synthesized zeolite to reduce the cumulative GHGs emissions over 110 days from paddy rice cultivation in Khlong 4, Pathum Thani Province. The experiments comprised 2 treatments: untreated control (I), and rice stubble with addition of synthesized zeolite (II). The study measured changes in the emissions of CH₄ and CO₂, conducted 3 d per week for 1.30 h during the cultivation period.

The results showed that rice stubble synthesized zeolite could reduce GHGs CH₄ and CO₂ under irrigated conditions. In the experiment, synthesized zeolite had an efficiency of 8.91% and 24.5% in reducing CH₄ and CO₂, respectively. Footprint analysis showed that both gases were continuously emitted throughout cultivation. In Cumulative emissions from the control treatment were 42.57 g CH₄ m^-2 crop and 86.40 g CO₂ m^-2 crop. Zeolite addition reduced emission levels to 30.71 g CH₄ m^-2 crop and 57.77 g CO₂ m^-2 crop. The reduction efficiencies CH₄ and CO₂ were 27.87% and 33.14%, respectively. It can be concluded that the rice stubble synthesized zeolite was capable of reducing GHGs significantly and that the efficiency was rate-dependent. It was clear that the GHGs emission reduction rate of synthesized zeolite was 0.148 g CH₄ m^-2 g zeolite and 0.358 g CO₂ m^-2 g zeolite.