INDUSTRIAL HEMP IN CRAFT BEER AND BIOCHAR FROM WASTE FOR MERCURY REMOVAL

Renato Agustín Romero-Corral; José Luis  Agreda-Oña; Alexandra Isabel Tapia-Borja; Andrés Sebastián Moreno Ávila

doi:10.31413/nat.v14i3.21228

Authors

Renato Agustín Romero-Corral renato.romero2483@utc.edu.ec
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Technical University of Cotopaxi, Salache, Latacunga, Ecuador. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4599-7778
José Luis Agreda-Oña jose.agreda2101@utc.edu.ec
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Technical University of Cotopaxi, Salache, Latacunga, Ecuador. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5858-869X
Alexandra Isabel Tapia-Borja alexandra.tapia@utc.edu.ec
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Technical University of Cotopaxi, Salache, Latacunga, Ecuador. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6935-5211
Andrés Sebastián Moreno Ávila andres.moreno0063@utc.edu.ec
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Technical University of Cotopaxi, Salache, Latacunga, Ecuador. https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4961-3031

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31413/nat.v14i3.21228

Keywords:

Cannabis sativa; hop substitution; craft beer; biochar; Hg²⁺; bioremediation; circular economy; mercury removal.

Abstract

: Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa) was evaluated as a partial substitute for hops (Humulus lupulus) in craft beer production and as a precursor for valorizing post-fermentation brewing residue. Four beer styles and four substitution levels (0, 30, 70, and 100%) were tested in a 4 × 4 factorial design with three independent brewing batches per combination. Physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability were assessed, and the selected residue was characterized for total phenolic content and converted into dried residue (T1), unmodified biochar (T2), and FeCl₃-modified biochar (T3) for Hg²⁺ removal. Responses to hemp substitution were style-dependent, particularly for pH and titratable acidity, while no overall substitution effect was detected for alcohol content or final density. Weissbier and Sour showed comparatively limited sensory departures from controls at 30–70% substitution. The selected residue contained 21 mg GAE g⁻¹ of total phenolics. Hg²⁺ removal reached 94.0 ± 2.0% for T1, 97.0 ± 1.5% for T2, and 99.5 ± 0.3% for T3. These results support moderate hemp-flower substitution in selected beer styles and the sequential valorization of the resulting residue as an adsorbent precursor.

Keywords: Cannabis sativa; Humulus lupulus; adsorption; circular economy; phenolic compounds.

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