Use of various extraction techniques for the analysis of biochar extracts

Biochar is a material whose properties, composition and impact on the environment are often discussed nowadays. The reason is its application as a soil conditioner. This leads to the need for qualitative as well as quantitative knowledge of its composition. This diploma thesis focuses on the qualitative analysis of biochar leachates processed by various extraction techniques. To approximate the real conditions, six aqueous mediums with different pH values is used, which a solid sample of biochar is exposed to. The prepared leachates are after that processed by extraction techniques, which are solid phase microextraction (SPME), single drop microextraction (HS-SDME), solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Analysis of the extracts was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The measurements showed that the HS-SDME technique did not show a response. SPE was a rapid technique, but compared to other techniques, it acquired a smaller range of substances. Liquid-liquid extraction, a time-consuming technique, did not obtain as much analytes as SPME. By comparing these applied techniques, the SPME technique is the best choice. The most common determined analytes were those from the group of ketones and carboxylic acids and their derivatives