Predicting the decomposition mechanism of Loktak biomass using Py-GC/MS

Abstract Utilization of biomass has gathered significant attention to overcome the increasing demand for energy in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. In India, the growth of paragrass, phumdi, and water hyacinth in Loktak-lake creates an adverse effect on ecological stability and affects the aquatic life inside the lake. Therefore, there is a need to develop suitable processes for its effective conversion into valuable products. Herein, we have studied the fast pyrolysis behaviour of three different Loktak biomass feedstocks, e.g., paragrass (PG), phumdi (PH), water hyacinth (WH), and their mixture PG-PH, PH-WH, WH-PG, and PG-PH-WH using Py-GC/MS (Pyrolysis/Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry). Identified pyrolytic products have been grouped as carbonyls, heterocyclic, phenolics, N-containing compounds, and others types. The carbonyls were the top products, and maximum area% (47.3) was noticed from the pyrolysis of WH-PG mixture. The pyrolysis of phumdi showed the maximum formation of heterocyclic compounds (37.5 area%) and phenolics (36.7 area%).