Dr. Ondřej Mašek’s topic is “Options for integrated biochar-bioenergy systems as negative emissions technologies” at the 6^th International Conference on Biomass Energy (ICBE2018).

Profile

Dr. Mašek’s research has been dedicated to various aspects of thermo-chemical conversion of biomass and fossil resources to added-value products, e.g. electricity, heat, chemicals or fuels, and associated issues related to efficiency, sustainability and GHG emissions. In 2009 he co-founded the UK Biochar Research Centre at the School of Geosciences at the University of Edinburgh. Since then his research has been focused on conversion of biomass to biochar for the purpose of atmospheric carbon sequestration, and adaptation to climate change (making agricultural production more efficient and resilient). More recently building on this knowledge and data, his research has expanded towards targeted biochar products and informed selection, i.e. a more sophisticated method for biochar production and application, allowing higher desired impacts with lower inputs. This is an important direction of research and a critical step to facilitate wider uptake and adaptation of sustainable biochar practices for environmental remediation and engineering applications. He has been working on development of novel characterisation and analysis methods for biochar and pyrolysis product characterisation (e.g., synchrotron-based 4D x-ray μ-tomography, FT-ICR-MS ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, and planar optodes for microscale in-situ dynamic observation of chemical properties and interactions between biochar and environment).

Career Summary

April 2009 Lecturer, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh

2007-2009 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cranfield University, UK

Education

2007 PhD, Material engineering, Hokkaido University (Japan)

2002 M.Sc. - Energy Technology, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, (Czech Republic) 

Research Interests

Technologies for biochar production and utilisation of by-products (oil and gas) for bio-fuels and bio-energy generation. Thermochemical conversion of carbonaceous materials (gasification, pyrolysis, combustion, etc.). CO2 capture and transport technologies (post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxy-combustion and advanced capture technologies).

Selected recent journal publications (>45 journal publications in total)

• Mumme, J., Getz, J., Prasad, M., Lüder, U., Kern, J., Mašek, O., Buss, W., (2018) Toxicity screening of biochar-mineral composites using germination tests, (2018) Chemosphere, 207, pp. 91-100.

• Rentizelas, A., Shpakova, A., Mašek, O., (2018) Designing an optimised supply network for sustainable conversion of waste agricultural plastics into higher value products. Journal of Cleaner Production, 189, pp. 683-700.

Mašek, O., Buss, W., Roy-Poirier, A., Lowe, W., Peters, C., Brownsort, P., Mignard, D., Pritchard, C., Sohi, S. (2018) Consistency of biochar properties over time and production scales: A characterisation of standard materials. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 132, pp. 200-210.

• Cong, H., Mašek, O., Zhao, L., Yao, Z., Meng, H., Hu, E., Ma, T. (2018) Slow Pyrolysis Performance and Energy Balance of Corn Stover in Continuous Pyrolysis-Based Poly-Generation Systems. Energy and Fuels, 32 (3), pp. 3743-3750.

• Fermoso, J., Mašek, O. (2018) Thermochemical decomposition of coffee ground residues by TG-MS: A kinetic study. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 130, pp. 249-255.

• Weidemann, E., Buss, W., Edo, M., Mašek, O., Jansson, S. (2018) Influence of pyrolysis temperature and production unit on formation of selected PAHs, oxy-PAHs, N-PACs, PCDDs, and PCDFs in biochar—a screening study. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 25 (4), pp. 3933-3940.

• Ghidotti, M., Fabbri, D., Mašek, O., Mackay, C.L., Montalti, M., Hornung, A. (2017) Source and Biological Response of Biochar Organic Compounds Released into Water; Relationships with Bio-Oil Composition and Carbonization Degree. Environmental Science and Technology, 51 (11), pp. 6580-6589.

• Zhao, L., Zheng, W., Mašek, O., Chen, X., Gu, B., Sharma, B.K., Cao, X. (2017) Roles of phosphoric acid in biochar formation: Synchronously improving carbon retention and sorption capacity. Journal of Environmental Quality, 46 (2), pp. 393-401.

• Xu, X., Zhao, Y., Sima, J., Zhao, L., Mašek, O., Cao, X. (2017) Indispensable role of biochar-inherent mineral constituents in its environmental applications: A review. Bioresource Technology, 241, pp. 887-899.

• Buss, W., Graham, M.C., Shepherd, J.G., Mašek, O. (2016) Risks and benefits of marginal biomass-derived biochars for plant growth. Science of the Total Environment, 569-570, pp. 496-506.

• Buss, W., Graham, M.C., MacKinnon, G., Mašek, O. (2016) Strategies for producing biochars with minimum PAH contamination. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 119, pp. 24-30.

• Buss, W., Graham, M.C., Shepherd, J.G., Mašek, O. (2016) Suitability of marginal biomass-derived biochars for soil amendment. Science of the Total Environment, 547, pp. 314-322.

Books published (8 chapters)

• “Biochar production and feedstock” in Biochar in European Soils and Agriculture: Science and Practice (2016), pp. 17-40.; Mašek, O., Ronsse, F., Dickinson, D.; DOI: 10.4324/9781315884462

• “Biochar in thermal and thermochemical biorefineries-production of biochar as a coproduct” in Handbook of Biofuels Production: Processes and Technologies: Second Edition (2016), pp. 655-671. Mašek, O.; DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-08-100455-5.00021-7

• “Fundamentals of biochar production” in Biochar for Environmental Management: Science, Technology and Implementation (2015), pp. 39-62; Robert Brown, B del Campo, Akwasi A Boateng, Manuel Garcia-Perez, O. Masek

• “Biochar production technology” in Biochar for Environmental Management: Science, Technology and Implementation (2015), pp. 63-88; Akwasi A Boateng, Manuel Garcia-Perez, O. Masek, Robert Brown, B del Campo

• “Biochar and Carbon Sequestration” in Fire Phenomena and the Earth System: An Interdisciplinary Guide to Fire Science (2013), pp. 309-322., Mašek, O.; DOI: 10.1002/9781118529539.ch16

• “Biochar, tool for climate change mitigation and soil management in Geoengineering Responses to Climate Change (2013), pp. 73-140, Simon Shackley, Saran Sohi, Rodrigo Ibarrola, Jim Hammond, Ondřej Mašek, Peter Brownsort, Andrew Cross, Miranda Prendergast-Miller, Stuart Haszeldine; DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3

• “Biochar, Tool for Climate Change Mitigation and Soil Management” in Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology (2012), Simon Shackley, Saran Sohi, Rodrigo Ibarrola, Jim Hammond, Ondřej Mašek, Peter Brownsort, Andrew Cross, Miranda Prendergast-Miller, Stuart Haszeldine; DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3_386

• “Allothermal gasification: Review of recent developments” in Biomass Gasification: Chemistry, Processes and Applications (2009), pp. 271-287. Mašek, O.