Prof. Ondřej Mašek
- Position:
- Chair of Net Zero Emission Technologies
- Home Page:
- https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/persons/ondrej-masek
- Email:
- ondrej.masek@ed.ac.uk
Research Gate page here and Google Scholar here. Join me on LinkedIn.
Prof. Ondřej Mašek holds the position of Personal Chair of Net Zero Emission Technologies at the University of Edinburgh, where his innovative leadership at the UK Biochar Research Centre (UKBRC) is setting new standards in the field of biochar production and development. With an 18-year career dedicated to advancing the thermo-chemical conversion of biomass and fossil resources into sustainable value-added products, Prof. Mašek's work is at the forefront of efforts to enhance energy efficiency, promote sustainability, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Since joining the University of Edinburgh in 2009, Prof. Mašek has co-founded the UKBRC within the School of Geosciences, establishing it as a leading institution in biochar research and application. His pioneering research is focused on converting biomass into biochar and its co-products, aiming at carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation while also improving agricultural productivity and resilience. Prof. Mašek is particularly renowned for his expertise in engineered biochar, where he applies advanced techniques to optimise its production and application, ensuring maximum environmental and economic benefits with minimal resource use.
Prof. Mašek's collaborative efforts extend far beyond the borders of the UK. He has led and participated in numerous projects in the UK, EU, and internationally. This global reach is a testament to his ability to forge strong partnerships with industry stakeholders ranging from innovative startups to international corporations. His scholarly contributions include over 200 peer-reviewed papers with over 11,200 citations, an h-index of 55, and an i-10 index of 128 (on Google Scholar). In 2023, he was recognised as a highly-cited researcher, placing him in the top 0.1% of researchers worldwide. This international recognition underscores his significant impact in the field and his potential as a valuable collaborator for international stakeholders.
Leading a dynamic research group of post-doctoral researchers, PhD and MSc students, and visiting scholars, Prof. Mašek is exploring a wide array of biochar-related applications. These include atmospheric carbon removal, environmental remediation, construction, and innovative uses in polymers and fermentation processes.
Relevant Research Areas:
Relevant Projects:
- Advanced Carbon Materials from Biowaste - GreenCarbon-ETN
- An assessment of the benefits and issues associated with the application of biochar to soil
- BIOMAC project (EU Horizon 2020)
- Biochar in Forestry
- C-Sink project (EU Horizon Europe)
- CarboPlex - Development of C-rich biochar-mineral complexes for soil amendment, C sequestration and beyond
- DAC and other GGR technologies (Phase 2) - Biochar Platform
- EU COST Action
- Interreg IVB North Sea Region: Climate Saving Soils
- Investigating the optimum conditions for biochar production
- Leverhulme UK-Canada network
- MSc / BSc Module: Novel Strategies for Soil Carbon Storage
- Scottish Biofuel Programme
- Taking commercial apple production to Net Zero
- The biochar-soil-plant interface: unlocking the potential for a sustainable phosphorus fertiliser
- Use of biochar in phosphorus recycling and recovery
- Use of mineral additives to boost biochar yield and properties
Publications:
Harnessing green tide Ulva biomass for carbon dioxide sequestration. Park, Jihae; Lee, Hojun; De saeger, Jonas et al.
In: Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 02.09.2024.Masek O, Buss W and Sohi SP. Standard biochar materials. 2018. Environmental Science and Technology 52:9543-9544
Masek O, Buss W, Roy-Poirier A, Lowe W, Peters C, Brownsort P, Mignard D, Pritchard C and Sohi SP. 2018. Consistency of biochar properties over time and production scales: A characterisation of standard materials. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 132:200-210
Buss W, Graham MC, MacKinnon G and Masek O. 2016. Strategies for producing biochars with minimum PAH contamination. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 119: 24–30.
Buss W and Masek O. 2014. Mobile organic compounds in biochar – a potential source of contamination – phytotoxic effects on cress seed (Lepidium sativum) germination. Journal of Environmental Management 137: 111–119.
Buss W, Mašek O, Graham M and Wust D. 2015. Inherent organic compounds in biochar –their content, composition and potential toxic effects. Journal of Environmental Management 156: 150–157.
Buss W and Masek O. 2016. High-VOC biochar – Effectiveness of post-treatment measures and potential health risks related to handling and storage. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 23: 19580–19589.
Buss W, Graham MC, Shepherd GJ and Masek O. 2016. Suitability of marginal biomass-derived biochars for soil amendment. Science of the Total Environment. 547:314–322.
Buss W, Graham MC, Shepherd JG and Masek O. 2016. Risks and benefits of marginal biomass-derived biochars for plant growth. Science of the Total Environment. 569/70: 496–506.
Bachmann HJ, Bucheli TD, Dieguez-Alonso A, Fabbri D, Knicker HE, Schmidt H-P, Ulbricht A, Becker R, Buscaroli A, Buerge D, Cross A, Dickinson D [...] Masek O, Mumme J, Carmona M, Calvelo R, Rees F, Rombolà AG, de la Rosa JM, Sakrabani R, Sohi SP, Soja G, Valagussa M, Verheijen FGA, Franz F. 2016. Toward the standardization of biochar analysis: The COST Action TD1107 interlaboratory comparison. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 64: 513–527
Novel Strategies for Carbon Storage in Soil, 2016/7 Course Book for PGGE11212/14, University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Edinburgh
Crombie, K., Mašek, O., Cross, A., Sohi, S.P.. 2014. Biochar–synergies and trade‐offs between soil enhancing properties and C sequestration potential. GCB Bioenergy 7:1161–1175
Crombie, K., Mašek, O. 2014. Pyrolysis biochar systems, balance between bioenergy and carbon sequestration. Global Change Biology Bioenergy.
Crombie, K., Mašek, O. 2014. Investigating the potential for a self-sustaining slow pyrolysis system under varying operating conditions. Bioresource technology 162: 148-156
Downloadable PDF of UKBRC pyrolysis facilities
Mašek O, Budarin V, Gronnow M, Crombie K, Brownsort P, Hurst P (2012) Microwave and Slow Pyrolysis Biochar - Comparison of Physical and Functional Properties. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 100:41–48
Crombie, K., Mašek, O., Sohi, S.P.. Brownsort, P., Cross, A. (2013) The effect of pyrolysis conditions on biochar stability as determined by three methods, GCB Bioenergy, 5:122-131
Gronnow MJ, Budarin VL, Mašek O, Crombie KN, Brownsort PA, Shuttleworth PS, Hurst PR (2012) Torrefaction/biochar production by microwave and conventional slow pyrolysis – comparison of energy properties. Global Change Biology Bioenergy
Shackley, S., Sohi, S.P., Ibarrola, R.E., Hammond, J., Masek, O., Brownsort, P., Cross, A., Prendergast-Miller, M., Haszeldine, S. 2012, Biochar, Tool for Climate Change Mitigation and Soil Management. In: R Meyers (ed.), Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Springer Verlag, New York, pp. 913-961 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5770-1_6
Mašek, O., Brownsort, P., Cross, A., & Sohi, S. (2011). Influence of production conditions on the yield and environmental stability of biochar. Fuel. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2011.08.044
Brownsort PA, Crombie K, Mašek O, Turrion-Gomez J 2011. Pyrolysis Biochar Syatems: Pilot Scale Pyrolysis Plant for 'Specified Biochar' Production. Paper presented at the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Berlin, Germany.
Brownsort PA and Mašek O 2011. Small-scale Continuous Pyrolysis Apparatus: capabilities and initial results. Poster presented in Biochar 2011, 3rd UKBRC Annual Conference, Edinburgh, UK.
Brownsort PA and Mašek O 2010. Pyrolysis Biochar Systems: Comparison of Climate Change Mitigation Effects of Slow, Intermediate and Fast Pyrolysis Processes. Paper presented in the 18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Lyon, France.
Brownsort PA and Mašek O 2010. Laboratory Scale Pyrolysis Apparatus. Poster presented in the 2nd UKBRC Annual Conference, Rothamsted, UK.
Mašek O and Brownsort PA 2010. Research on Production of Bespoke Biochar. Poster presented in the 2nd UKBRC Conference, Rothamsted, UK.
Shackley SJ and Sohi SP (eds) 2010. An assessment of the benefits and issues associated with the application of biochar to soil. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, UK.
Sohi SP, Shackley SJ, Haszeldine RS, Manning D and Mašek O 2009. Biochar, reducing and removing CO2 while improving soils:A significant and sustainable response to climate change. Evidence submitted to the Royal Society Geo-engineering Climate Enquiry, UKBRC Working Paper 2
Sohi SP, Shackley SJ, Mandy M, Pratt K, Lopez-Capel E,Haszeldine RS, Gaunt J, Masek O, Manning D, Cook J and Carter S 2009. Biochar: An Emerging Technology for Climate Change Mitigation?, Workshop proceedings, UKBRC Working Paper 1