# US 12,178,910 B2 · Reducing the environmental impact of farming using biochar > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,910 B2 - Document ID: US12178910B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/835,900 - Filed: 2022-06-08 - Published: 2023-04-27 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-01 - Assignees: Carbon Technology Holdings, LLC - Applicants: Carbon Technology Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Juliette MacKay; Richard Wilson Belcher; Wesley J. Bolsen; Brian Buege; Daren Einar Daugaard; Han Suk Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178910B2 ## CPC - A61K 9/1611: {Inorganic compounds} - A01K 1/015: Floor coverings, e.g. bedding-down sheets {; Stable floors} - A23K 10/18: of live microorganisms - A23K 10/30: from material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms (obtained by microbiological or biochemical processes, e.g. using yeasts or enzymes, A23K10/10) - A23K 20/10: Organic substances - A23K 20/105: Aliphatic or alicyclic compounds - A23K 20/163: Sugars; Polysaccharides - A23K 20/20: Inorganic substances, e.g. oligoelements - A23K 40/00: Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs - A23K 40/30: by encapsulating; by coating - A23K 50/10: for ruminants - A23K 50/20: for horses - A23K 50/30: for swines - A23K 50/75: for poultry - A23K 50/80: for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs - A61K 9/167: {with an outer layer or coating comprising drug; with chemically bound drugs or non-active substances on their surface (with further drug-free outer coating A61K9/5073)} - A61K 9/1682: {Processes} - A61K 9/5036: {Polysaccharides, e.g. gums, alginate; Cyclodextrin} - A61K 33/44: Elemental carbon, e.g. charcoal, carbon black - A61K 47/02: Inorganic compounds - A61L 9/012: characterised by being in a special form, e.g. gels, emulsions {(A61L9/048 takes precedence)} - A61L 9/014: containing sorbent material, e.g. activated carbon - C02F 1/281: {using inorganic sorbents} - C02F 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them} - C05B 17/00: Other phosphatic fertilisers, e.g. soft rock phosphates, bone meal - C05C 5/00: Fertilisers containing other nitrates - C05D 9/00: Other inorganic fertilisers - C05F 3/00: Fertilisers from human or animal excrements, e.g. manure - C05F 9/04: Biological compost - C05F 17/10: Addition or removal of substances other than water or air to or from the material during the treatment (for activating or stimulating the treatment C05F17/20) - C05G 3/80: Soil conditioners - C09K 17/00: Soil-conditioning materials or soil-stabilising materials (specially adapted for boreholes or wells C09K8/00; fertilisers C05; consolidating by placing solidifying or pore-filling substances in the soil E02D3/12) - C09K 17/04: applied in a physical form other than a solution or a grout, e.g. as granules or gases - A23K 20/142: Amino acids; Derivatives thereof - A23K 20/158: Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats - A23K 20/174: Vitamins - A23K 20/189: Enzymes - A23K 20/30: {Oligoelements} - A61K 9/0056: {Mouth soluble or dispersible forms; Suckable, eatable, chewable coherent forms; Forms rapidly disintegrating in the mouth; Lozenges; Lollipops; Bite capsules; Baked products; Baits or other oral forms for animals} - Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel - Y02P 20/145: the feedstock being materials of biological origin - Y02W 30/40: Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - A23K: FODDER - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C05B: PHOSPHATIC FERTILISERS - C05C: NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS - C05D: INORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C; FERTILISERS PRODUCING CARBON DIOXIDE - C05F: ORGANIC FERTILISERS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C05B, C05C, e.g. FERTILISERS FROM WASTE OR REFUSE - C05G: MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS (organic fertilisers containing added bacterial cultures, mycelia, or the like C05F11/08; organic fertilisers containing plant vitamins or hormones C05F11/10); FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A method for using treated biochar to reduce the overall environmental impact of farming and minimize the carbon footprint of farms is provided. The method comprising engaging in one or more of the following practices: (1) combining treated biochar with feed or using biochar as feed for animals to reduce methane from enteric fermentation and increase animal health and nutrition; (2) combining treated biochar with compost, animal bedding or manure piles to reduce odor and increase nutrient retention; (3) applying treated biochar to lagoons to reduce odor and treat water; (4) applying treated biochar to pastures to increase pasture health; (5) applying treated biochar to crops to increase crop productivity, healthier roots and prevent fertilizer leaching; and (6) using the carbon negativity of a produced biochar to reduce the overall farm or ranch carbon footprint. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for reducing an overall environmental impact of farming or ranching, the method comprising: (i) obtaining treated biochar, wherein the treated biochar is produced from a treatment process on biochar to remove a dioxin from pores of the biochar and infuse a liquid additive into the pores of the biochar for ingestion by farm animals; and (ii) causing the farm animals to ingest the treated biochar, thereby producing ingested treated biochar wherein the causing is achieved by combining the treated biochar with animal bedding for the farm animals, thereby reducing an odor emanating from the animal bedding and reducing a toxicity to the farm animals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment process does not exclusively comprise submersing the biochar in a liquid solution to achieve infusing of the liquid additive into the pores of the biochar and does not exclusively comprise using steam to achieve infusing of the liquid additive into the pores of the biochar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the infusing of the liquid additive into the pores of the biochar is achieved using a surfactant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the infusing of the liquid additive into the pores of the biochar is achieved by combining the biochar and the liquid additive in a vessel and pulling a vacuum on the vessel or applying positive pressure on the content of the vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment process comprises immersing the biochar in a treating liquid, varying a pressure in a vessel for a predetermined period of time, and returning the pressure in the vessel to its original pressure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment process comprises immersing the biochar in a solution containing a surfactant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid additive comprises at least one nutrient, vitamin, drug, microbe, or supplement for the farm animals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: redeploying the treated biochar, wherein the redeploying is achieved by combining the ingested treated biochar with the animal bedding or applying the ingested treated biochar to lagoons. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid additive comprises at least one coloring, flavor agent, or coating. ### Claim 10 A method for reducing an overall environmental impact of farming or ranching, the method comprising: obtaining treated biochar, wherein the treated biochar is produced from a treatment process on biochar to detoxify the biochar and infuse an additive into pores of the biochar; and combining the treated biochar with animal bedding for farm animals, thereby (i) causing the farm animals to ingest the treated biochar, thereby producing ingested treated biochar, and thereby reducing methane from enteric fermentation and (ii) reducing a toxicity to the farm animals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the treatment process does not exclusively comprise submersing the biochar in a liquid solution to achieve infusing of the additive into the pores of the biochar and does not exclusively comprise using steam to achieve infusing of the additive into the pores of the biochar. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the infusing of the additive into the pores of the biochar is achieved using a surfactant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the infusing of the additive into the pores of the biochar is achieved by combining the biochar and the additive in a vessel and pulling a vacuum on the vessel or applying positive pressure on the content of the vessel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the treatment process comprises immersing the biochar in a treating liquid, varying a pressure in a vessel for a predetermined period of time, and returning the pressure in the vessel to its original pressure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the treatment process comprises immersing the biochar in a solution containing a surfactant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the additive comprises at least one nutrient, vitamin, drug, microbe, supplement, coloring, or flavor agent for the farm animals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: redeploying the treated biochar, wherein the redeploying is achieved by combining the ingested treated biochar with the animal bedding or applying the ingested treated biochar to lagoons. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the treatment process to detoxify the biochar removes dioxins from the pores of the biochar, thereby reducing toxicity to the farm animals. ### Claim 19 A method for using treated biochar to reduce an overall environmental impact of farming or ranching, the method comprising: obtaining treated biochar, wherein the treated biochar is produced from a treatment process, wherein the treatment process infuses a liquid additive into pores of biochar and removes dioxins from the pores of the biochar, and combining the treated biochar with compost, animal bedding, or manure piles, thereby reducing odor and increasing nutrient retention. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the treated biochar is treated to reduce methane from enteric fermentation when ingested by a farm animal.