Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery最新文献

The research focuses on exploring the use of cellulose obtained from Thespesia populnea leaves as a strengthening component, in polymer composites. It delves into the characteristics and qualities of this cellulose material. The authors utilized an alkaline treatment method to break down the cellulose-hemicellulose-lignin complex found in Thespesia populnea leaves leading to the extraction of cellulose fibers. Various characterization techniques were applied to the extracted cellulose, such as UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. The researchers examined how light interacts with cellulose noting an absorption band within the 250–300 nm wavelength range. XRD analysis revealed a crystallinity index of 73.7% for the cellulose material. FTIR analysis helped identify its groups while FESEM provided insights into the morphology of the cellulose fibers showing an average size of 6.37 μm. The cellulose from Thespesia populnea leaves is thermally stable up to a temperature of 248 °C evidenced by thermogravimetric analysis. The main goal was to assess Thespesia leaf celluloses’ suitability as a reinforcing material for polymer composites by understanding its properties and behavior for applications. The study suggests that this leaf-derived cellulose could be a reinforcement agent in polymer composites due to its characteristics. If this cellulose material is effectively integrated into composites, it could improve characteristics, decrease weight, and support the advancement of materials.

The synthesized corn-based activated carbon (CCAC) is used as an adsorbent to remove the methyl orange (MO) dye from the dye’s aqueous solution. By using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and comparing the results with activated carbon (AC), the CCAC was shown to have been formed accordingly. Also, analysis of the Zero-point Charge of the CCAC (pH_PZC = 5.12), moisture contents (12.5%), ash content (4.56%), pore volume (25%), and surface area (346.2 m²/g). The batch process was used to investigate the effect of different parameters on adsorption such as contact time, initial concentration, temperature, and % of Coke. At 30 min, 99.1% of the MO was removed at room temperature, and at 45 °C 98.4% within 20 min. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were taken to see the surface morphology of the CCAC before and after adsorption, and calculated the average particle size of the adsorbent (1.955 µm). The experiment was designed at three different temperatures (25 °C, 35 °C, and 45 °C) to study adsorption isotherms using one-, two-, and three-parameters of adsorption isotherm models, which were fitted using the origin lab program. Among the three different temperatures, considering the R² value in different adsorption isotherms, the temperature 45 °C condition was well-fitted with all the adsorption isotherms, balancing with other parameters. The better-fitted adsorption isotherms were like—Langmuir > Freundlich > Temkin > Toth > Redlich–Peterson > Dubinin-Radushkevich > Fowler–Guggenheim > Henry’s Isotherm. Analyzing the thermodynamics and kinetics of the adsorption process indicates the adsorption was a spontaneous, exothermic, and pseudo-second-order adsorption process. Therefore, the results of this study reveal that the two-parameter adsorption isotherms (like Langmuir > Freundlich > Temkin) were well fitted for the removal of the MO dye by using the easily available, eco-friendly and cheap agricultural waste- corn cob-based activated carbon which could be a choice as an adsorbent.

This research delves into the fatigue resistance, creep behaviour, and flammability characteristics of epoxy composites toughened with Digitaria ischaemum fibres and finger millet husk biosilica. The main objective of this research study was to extract novel natural fibre and filler from biomass wastes and examine their influence on the load bearing properties of epoxy-based composite. The study begins with synthesis of reinforcements and fabrication of composite plates, inclusion of finger millet husk biosilica of 1, 3, 5 vol.% and fibre of 30 vol.% by hand layup method. The tests were conducted as per American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The evaluation provided critical insights that the influence of fibre and biosilica improved the fatigue resistance. The composite N3 with 3 vol.% biosilica and 30 vol.% of fibre exhibited higher fatigue cycle count of 24,093 for 30% of ultimate tensile stress (UTS). Similarly, creep results elucidate that the N4 composite designation delivers low creep strain about 0.0108, 0.0132, 0.0154, 0.0248, and 0.045 for time intervals of 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10,000 s, respectively. Moreover, it is noted that the presence of biosilica reduced the flammability of composites. The N4 composite designation exhibits comparatively low flame propagation speed of 6.8 mm/min with V-0 grade. The ANOVA results concluded that the results obtained are significant with a P value of 2.7e − 8. Based on the results the novel cellulose fibre improved the load bearing effect along with biosilica of 3 vol.%. However, beyond 3 vol.% of biosilica reduced the load bearing properties. The findings underscore the potential of these composites as sustainable, durable, and fire-safe alternatives for applications ranging from structural engineering to automotives, drones, and defence sector.

Traditional plastic contributes significantly to environmental pollution due to their non-biodegradable nature, while banana peels, a common agro-industrial waste, are often discarded without proper utilization. The research envisages to develop an eco-friendly solution by creating biodegradable composite pots from banana peels. Banana peel powder and deoiled rice bran plasticized by cashew nut shell liquid and glycerol into pellets. Pellets were molded into pots using injection molding at suitable temperature and pressure. Processing resulted in significant changes in physical properties of the pot and raw materials. CNSL and biopolymers demonstrated strong physical interaction during the construction of a 3D network of pots. The novelty of the work lies in its innovative integration of waste management and sustainable product development. By employing principal component analysis (PCA) for characterization and classification, the research introduces a sophisticated analytical method to evaluate the properties and performance of the composite material. The pots made from 12% CNSL exhibited better mechanical and physical properties in comparison to pots made from glycerol. However, water binding capacity, porosity, and water solubility index (WSI) were higher in pots containing glycerol. SEM analysis evidenced a homogeneous and smoother surface in pots with CNSL. Pots with 12% GL and 12% CNSL degraded in 17 and 15 weeks, respectively. The study not only advances the application of banana peels in the development of sustainable products but also sets a precedent for the systematic analysis and optimization of biodegradable materials.

Chemical plasticizers are water-reducing agents used in concrete to minimize the use of water. Most plasticizers are synthetic and have liquid formulations that are equally hazardous. Bio-based sources are abundant in glycols, glycerol, and polyphenols, which, when chemically treated, make them effective plasticizers. This study extracted a solid plasticizer from the lemon grass residue. We applied chemical treatments to the lemongrass residue, which included alkali treatment, the reflux process, flocculation, and purification. We subsequently subjected the obtained solid plasticizer to physiochemical investigation and Fourier transform spectroscopy for characterization. The plasticizer has a low density of 0.982 g/cm³ and an average yield of 35.5%. The X-ray diffraction study revealed that the crystallites measured 15.03 nm in size and had the lowest crystallinity index (45.5%). The scanning electron microscopy study revealed that the plasticizer exhibited a honeycomb structure. The UV analysis of plasticizers reveals active absorption, similar to liquid plasticizers like glycerol and glycols. The glass transition temperature of the plasticizer, 87.67 °C is obtained using differential scanning electron microscopy analysis. The roughness parameters exhibit a clear orientation in the extracted plasticizer. This solid plasticizer was dissolved in water and added as a plasticizer in M30-grade cement concrete, up to 6% by weight of cement. We discovered that adding 6% bioplasticizer to the concrete improved its slump and compressive strength by 1.5% and 5%, respectively. As a result, the characteristics of plasticizers boost their utility in the construction sector.

The use of green methods for the treatment of industrial waste and waste reuse has become a key environmental issue. In order to achieve this goal, this study uses waste phosphogypsum (PG) as raw material to produce adsorbents for wastewater treatment, achieving green reuse of industrial waste. Sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) was used to modify PG to explore the safe and rational utilization of PG. The modified phosphogypsum biochar (MP-BC) was prepared by mixing the modified phosphogypsum (MPG) with pineapple peel in proportion and applied to the removal of fluoride from wastewater. The X-ray fluorescence spectrum and X-ray diffraction pattern indicate that the chemical component of MP-BC is mainly calcium oxide, that is, an appropriate amount of modified PG (MPG) can load calcium oxide on biochar, thereby improving the physical properties of biochar. The MP-BC exhibited 133 mg/g maximum fluoride adsorption capacity, and the adsorption rate of fluoride in actual phosphogypsum leachate by MP-BC can reach 97.23%. Furthermore, chemical precipitation was the primary adsorption mechanism. Also, the MP-BC can effectively promote fluoride ion conversion into calcium fluoride. In summary, this study proposes a method of green utilization of PG, which effectively alleviates PG pollution, promotes the reuse of PG, and realizes the “treating waste with waste” of industrial waste.

The increasing trend of heavy metals in soil and aquatic ecosystems, driven by urbanization and industrialization advancements, has raised environmental concerns. While various remediation methods exist, they often lack scalability and sustainability. Biochar has emerged as a promising solution due to its eco-friendly nature and multifunctional properties. In particular, engineered biochar, modified to enhance its surface area and functional groups, exhibits superior performance in heavy metal adsorption. Biochar’s diverse morpho-physicochemical features, such as increased surface area and cation exchange capacity, facilitate heavy metal adsorption through various processes. The choice of feedstock materials and modification methods significantly influences biochar’s sorption capacity. Numerous reviews address the toxicity and treatment methods for heavy metals in soil and water. This study aims to advance the research by identifying key challenges and offering insights into engineered biochar production, characteristics, and applications for heavy metal cleanup in soil and water ecosystems. By exploring biochar potential with suitable interventions, we can develop sustainable solutions to mitigate metal toxicity and protect environmental and public health. Further research is necessary to overcome limitations and challenges, addressing research gaps and future directions in utilizing biochar as an eco-friendly, cost-effective technology for heavy metal remediation.

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Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are non-digestible oligosaccharides made primarily of xylose units with a high prebiotic potential. XOS display great thermostability (100 °C) and strong acid resistance over a pH range (2–7), making them suitable for gastrointestinal administration given their potential to tolerate gastric acid. XOS improves digestion and nutrient absorption while also providing health advantages by inhibiting the formation of harmful microorganisms. XOS, generated from lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) through enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis, have significant prebiotic characteristics and broad applications in medicine, food, and health. The XOS purification has become crucial to their subsequent industrial application. Still, it needs further exploration to lower costs and increase the purity of the XOS-supplemented diet. It benefits host wellness in numerous ways because of its immunomodulatory, growth-regulating, anticancer, antibacterial, antioxidant, and other bioactive compounds. Collaboration among researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers is critical for converting research findings into practical implementations. An academic search engine (Web of Science) was accessed to identify the most relevant literature on the XOS derived from agro-waste. Additional information was obtained from SCOPUS and Google Scholar databases. This review paper explores developments in agro-waste-derived XOS and its potential as an ingredient in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the agriculture sector. The review also highlights its production and purification methods as well as health benefits. Furthermore, the global market potential of XOS creates a vision for extensive areas of growing impact in the field.

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Utilizing a large portion of shrimp biowaste into valuable materials such as chitosan is one of the most required actions to sustain shrimp waste and promote green deal targets and circular economy principles in the aquaculture industry. This research aimed to optimize acidic demineralization using various HCl concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10% on chitosan extraction and characterization of morphological and physicochemical properties. Chitosan production with a high deacetylation degree (89.7–93.8%) for all samples was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy compared to commercial chitosan. The ash content, moisture content, and chitosan yield were in the ranges of (0.24–0.89%), (0.26–5.1%), and (15.1–51.3%), respectively. Furthermore, XRD showed that commercial chitosan had a completely amorphous structure. In contrast, the isolated chitosan samples showed a low crystallinity index (3.57–19.58%) due to the formation of natrite (Na₂CO₃) and thermonatrite (Na₂CO₃.H₂O) as indicated by SEM–EDS. Additionally, this study found that chitosan production can be optimized from white Pacific shrimp shells (Litopenaeus vannamei) with high resemblance to commercial chitosan using the optimal acidic demineralization concentrations of 1–3% hydrochloric acid at room temperature under stabilized conditions of deproteinization and deacetylation processes. Furthermore, future research will focus on optimizing the deproteinization and deacetylation stages of the chemical extraction of chitosan using the optimal demineralization conditions found in the current study. Additionally, utilizing the byproducts of the chemical extraction stages as liquid fertilizers in agriculture develops an integrated industrial sustainable solution for shrimp waste management.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of indigenous microalga, Chlorella sorokiniana BRE5, for enhanced biomass production by implementing a semi-continuous cultivation strategy (SCCS). The varied start replacement points (SRP) for SCCS were evaluated under optimized renewal rate (RR) and renewal period (RP) for enhanced lipid production. The replaced culture of C. sorokiniana BRE5 with RP of both 2d and 3d with RR of 25% showed an elevated trend in biomass yield. The maximum yield in total biomass and total lipid of 7.27 g L⁻¹ and 1.66 g L⁻¹, respectively, was observed with SRP9 (9th day as SRP) at RP of 2d and RR of 25%. Semi-continuous cultivation with SRP9 shows 4.35 and 3.69 times higher in total biomass and lipid yield, respectively, than batch cultivation mode. The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition of C. sorokiniana BRE5 primarily consists of C16:0 (palmitic acid) and C18:1 (oleic acid). The fuel characteristics like high heating value, better oxidative stability, and cetane number met international standards indicating its potential as a biodiesel feedstock. The optimization of SRP in semi-continuous cultivation under optimum RR and RP can be a suitable strategy for biomass and biodiesel production of microalgae.

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