Search Results (407)

The rhinoceros beetle (Xylotrupes gideon) requires safe and nutritious flake soil substrate for commercial rearing in northern Thailand, yet optimal lignocellulosic formulations remain undefined. This study evaluated five flake soil formulations substituting lignin-rich cadamba sawdust (0–100%) with cellulose-rich corn stover, plus cattle manure and rice bran, fermented for 90 days. Fermentation engineered the cellulose-lignin-hemicellulose matrix, reducing lignin from 25.07% to 7.30% while enriching cellulose from 29.73% to 33.83% and hemicellulose from 6.67% to 17.42%. Increasing corn stover enhanced crude protein (5.46–7.53%) and nitrogen-free extract (24.17–34.14%), creating T1 (25% substitution) as the optimal cellulose-based composite for X. gideon rearing. Microbial analysis showed T1-T2 supported highest α-diversity and lactic acid bacteria enrichment, suppressing pathogens like Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. Fermentation degraded >99% glyphosate residues (from 106 mg/kg to <0.25 mg/kg or undetectable). T1 is recommended as the optimal, sustainable flake soil for X. gideon rearing, balancing nutrition, microbiology, and safety while valorizing agricultural wastes. Full article

The transition towards a circular bioeconomy drives the search for sustainable valorization routes for agricultural waste streams. In this context, lignocellulosic residues from avocado tree prunings (Persea americana Mill.), with a reported high extractives content, represent a promising resource for pyrolytic valorization; however, their thermal behavior remains scarcely studied. This work characterized the chemical composition of whole branches (including bark) by FTIR and evaluated thermal degradation by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at five heating rates (10–30 °C/min) in an inert atmosphere. Kinetic analysis of the TGA data employed Friedman, FWO, KAS, Coats–Redfern, and Kissinger models. The Avrami model determined a reaction order of n ≈ 0.28. Among the methods, Coats–Redfern, applied with this n, provided the most consistent description, achieving the best average fit (R² ≈ 0.9878) and the narrowest range of pre-exponential factors (10¹²–10¹⁶ s⁻¹). The Friedman model showed greater dispersion (10¹²–10²² s⁻¹). Average activation energies ranged from 185 to 210 kJ/mol (Kissinger: 171.3 kJ/mol). The thermodynamic parameters confirmed a non-spontaneous, endothermic process (ΔH = 166.4–205.9 kJ/mol; ΔG = 178.8–179.8 kJ/mol). The entropy change (ΔS from –33.8 to 194.1 J/mol·K) reflects the complex solid-to-volatiles transition during pyrolysis. This study establishes a tailored kinetic framework for avocado branch pyrolysis, providing a reliable kinetic description for this biomass and identifying the Avrami–Coats–Redfern method as the most suitable for its accurate modeling. Full article

Banana pseudostem is an abundant lignocellulosic residue with potential for value-added applications. This study evaluated five banana varieties to determine their suitability for bioplastic production, with Williams showing the highest cellulose yield (26.99% ± 0.23). Cellulose extracted from this variety was combined with corn-starch (1:1 w/w) to synthesize a bioplastic through gelatinization and lyophilization. FTIR confirmed effective removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the pseudostem and evidenced new hydrogen-bond interactions between cellulose and starch through O–H band shifts (3335 → 3282 cm⁻¹). SEM revealed a porous laminar morphology with cellulose particles (40–52 µm) embedded within the starch matrix. DSC analysis showed that the bioplastic exhibits an intermediate thermal profile between its components, while mechanical compression increased the endothermic transition temperature (from 69 °C to 85 °C) and reduced molecular mobility. Tensile testing demonstrated that compression markedly improved mechanical performance, increasing tensile strength from 0.094 MPa to 0.69 MPa and density from 110 to 638.7 kg/m³. These findings indicate that cellulose–starch bioplastics derived from banana pseudostem possess favorable structural, thermal, and mechanical characteristics for short-use applications. The approach also contributes to the valorization of agricultural waste through biodegradable material development. Full article

Lignin is the most structurally complex component of lignocellulosic biomass. Each year, thousands of tons of lignin-rich residues from enzymatic hydrolysis are generated in sugarcane-based cellulosic ethanol biorefineries. The current study specifically utilizes lignin extracted from sugarcane bagasse as the primary feedstock for biochar production, rather than employing the raw bagasse itself. This study investigates, through pyrolytic thermal treatment of two lignin sources, the production of biochars and the evaluation of their potential applications. Kraft commercial lignin and sugarcane bagasse lignin samples, along with their corresponding biochars, were characterized by elemental and proximate analyses, higher heating value determination, spectroscopic techniques, thermogravimetric analysis, X-Ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and true density measurements. The results revealed a lower contamination level associated with the extraction process and confirmed the amorphous nature of sugarcane bagasse lignin and its derived biochar. An O/C ratio of approximately 0.3 was obtained for the sugarcane bagasse lignin biochar based on both elemental and Raman spectroscopy analyses. Both elemental composition assessment and Raman spectroscopic analysis indicated that all biochar specimens exhibited hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C) ratios exceeding 0.5. The analyses, therefore, indicated that the biochar derived from sugarcane lignin exhibited higher energy density, moderate stability and a high carbon content. The proposed approach thus provides promising alternatives for the valorizing lignin residues derived from second-generation ethanol production processes. Full article

Tree bark, a renewable byproduct of the forest industry, has long been recognized as a rich source of bioactive and structural compounds, including polyphenols, tannins, triterpenes, and suberinic acids. Over recent decades, numerous studies have explored bark extraction processes aimed at recovering these valuable substances. However, the substantial quantities of solid and liquid residues remaining after extraction are still largely overlooked despite their significant potential for further valorization. This review summarizes the current state of research on bark extraction, highlighting the diversity of applied techniques from conventional solvent extraction to advanced green methods such as organosolv, subcritical water, and supercritical CO₂ extraction. Particular emphasis is placed on post-extraction residues, which remain rich in lignocellulosic, suberinic and phenolic compounds suitable for the development of bio-based materials, composites and functional chemicals. Importantly, this review introduces a novel perspective by evaluating post-extraction residues with the same significance as primary bark extracts, emphasizing their un-tapped potential within emerging bark biorefinery concepts. The review identifies existing knowledge gaps related to the chemical characterization, recovery strategies and industrial integration of these byproducts. Finally, it outlines future research directions focused on transforming bark extraction residues into high value sustainable materials fully aligned with the principles of the circular bioeconomy and zero waste processing. Full article

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into high-value fermentation products generates a lignin-rich hydrolysis residue (LRR), which is predominantly combusted for process heat, offering limited valorization potential. This study investigates the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of this residue derived from forest residue biomass (FRB) to produce high-energy-density hydrochar. HTC, a thermochemical conversion process conducted in the presence of water, enables direct processing of wet lignin-rich residues without the need for drying or solvent-based lignin extraction or purification, thereby reducing costs and complexity. Experiments were conducted at 200–280 °C, with a fixed reaction time of 1 h, and the resulting hydrochars were thoroughly characterized for their chemical composition, structural morphology, and thermal behavior. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed improved pyrolysis properties of the HTC products. Hydrochar yield decreased by 26.26% as the temperature increased from 200 to 280 °C, accompanied by marked improvements in fuel quality. The maximum higher heating value, observed at 280 °C, was 1.75 times greater than that of raw LRR. Elemental analysis and a Van Krevelen evaluation confirmed enhanced carbonization, as evidenced by increasing carbon content and decreasing oxygen content. The specific surface area peaked at 2.66 m²/g at 200 °C before declining with further temperature increases. This study demonstrates a sustainable pathway for valorization of lignin-rich residues from lignocellulosic biorefineries into solid biofuels, advancing circular bioeconomy and offering insights into using HTC for energy and environmental applications. Full article

This study deals with the physical, chemical, and thermal properties of William banana peduncle fibers in order to consider the possibility of using these new fibers in textile applications. The samples were collected in Cameroon, in the Littoral region, Njombe Penja district (agri-food industry). The fibers were extracted by three methods, including Water Retting (WR), Dew Retting (DR), and Mechanical Extraction (ME). The various resulting fibers were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The FTIR analysis confirmed the lignocellulosic structure of the fibers and revealed that the three extraction methods had not affected the chemical nature of the fibers. The extraction methods also had no significant impact on density and moisture content. Scanning electron microscopy showed bands of fibers bundles on all samples. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the fibers extracted were thermally stable at 82 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed crystallinity levels ranging from 58.24% for (WR), 54.83% for (DR), and 69.53% for (ME). The results obtained on the chemical composition show that the extracted fibers consist mainly of 71.8%, 73.6%, and 74.8% cellulose for WR, DR, and ME, respectively, making them suitable for textile applications. Full article

Cistus ladanifer L., commonly known as gum rockrose, is a Mediterranean shrub of growing interest due to its valuable essential oils (EOs) and labdanum resin. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the chemical composition and biological activities of EOs and hydrolates from C. ladanifer across Mediterranean regions, with particular emphasis on Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and France. α-Pinene, viridiflorol, and camphene were found to be the major constituents in the EOs with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Additionally, the identified biological properties have prompted studies exploring innovative strategies such as nanoparticle encapsulation, the development of bioactive films, and the incorporation of EOs into food and pharmaceutical packaging. By-products from EO distillation, including lignocellulosic residues, the extraction of phenolic-rich compounds, and hydrolates, have shown potential for value-added applications. Altogether, C. ladanifer represents a versatile species with possible applications in cosmetics, pharmaceutical development, and the food industry. Full article

During cocoa processing, approximately ten times more cacao pod husk (CPH) waste is generated than cacao beans. Due to its high lignocellulosic content, CPH is an alternative feedstock for the production of fermentable sugars and bioproducts. In this study, CPH enzymatic hydrolysates were used as a carbon source to produce Lacticaseibacillus biosurfactants. CPH was subjected to alkaline pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis using the commercial enzyme cocktail Cellic Ctec2. The resulting hydrolysates were used to formulate culture media for growing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Lacticaseibacillus casei. Cell growth and the activity of extracellular and cell-bound biosurfactants were evaluated. The highest glucose concentration in the hydrolysates (11.45 g/L) was achieved using 15% (w/v) solids loading of alkaline-pretreated CPH and an enzymatic load of 20 FPU/g CPH over 3 h. The maximum emulsification index (E24) was 60%, observed with the extracellular biosurfactant from L. rhamnosus cultured in CPH-based medium without supplementation. L. casei extracellular biosurfactants were effective at inhibiting Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 biofilm formation (39–45%) in CPH-based media supplemented with peptone, yeast extract, and both nutrients. These findings highlight the potential of CPH enzymatic hydrolysates as a sustainable carbon source for biosurfactant production with emulsification and antibiofilm activity, contributing to the valorization of cocoa agro-industrial waste. Full article

Plastic-based materials dominate the packaging industry. However, their non-biodegradability has increased the need for sustainable alternatives. Biopolymers, mainly lignocellulose from agricultural residues, offer renewable, eco-friendly options in this context. This study reports the development of lignocellulosic films from alfalfa (Medicago sativa) through green valorization of its biomass. Alfalfa lignocellulosic extract (ALE) was extracted using 50% NaOH, solubilized in 68% ZnCl₂, crosslinked with CaCl₂, and plasticized with sorbitol. The concentrations of ALE, CaCl₂, and sorbitol were optimized using the Box–Behnken Design, focusing on increasing tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), and reducing water vapor permeability (WVP) of the films. The optimized film formulation (0.5 g ALE, 453.8 mM CaCl₂, 1.5% sorbitol) showed a TS of 11.2 ± 0.7 MPa, EB of 5.8 ± 0.9%, and WVP of 1.2 ± 0.2 × 10⁻¹⁰ g m⁻¹ s⁻¹ Pa⁻¹. The film effectively blocked UV–Vis–IR light and exhibited notable antioxidant activity, making it suitable for packaging light-sensitive and oxidation-sensitive foods. Additionally, it achieved over 90% biodegradation within 29 days under 24% soil moisture. These findings demonstrate a sustainable approach to upcycling agricultural residues into functional products, offering a practical alternative to traditional plastics and supporting a circular bioeconomy, while adding value for alfalfa producers. Full article

Lignocellulosic biomass—the non-edible fraction of plants composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—is the most abundant renewable carbon resource and a key lever for shifting from fossil to bio-based production. Agro-industrial residues (straws, cobs, shells, bagasse, brewery spent grains, etc.) offer low-cost, widely available feedstocks but are difficult to process because their polymers form a tightly integrated, three-dimensional matrix. Within this matrix, lignin provides rigidity, hydrophobicity, and defense, yet its heterogeneity and recalcitrance impede saccharification and upgrading. Today, most technical lignin from pulping and emerging biorefineries is burned for energy, despite growing opportunities to valorize it directly as a macromolecule (e.g., adhesives, foams, carbon precursors, UV/antioxidant additives) or via depolymerization to low-molecular-weight aromatics for fuels and chemicals. Extraction route and severity strongly condition lignin structure linkages (coumaryl-, coniferyl-, and sinapyl-alcohol ratios), determining reactivity, solubility, and product selectivity. Advances in selective fractionation, reductive/oxidative catalysis, and hybrid chemo-biological routes are improving yields while limiting condensation. Remaining barriers include feedstock variability, solvent and catalyst recovery, hydrogen and energy intensity, and market adoption (e.g., low-emission adhesives). Elevating lignin from fuel to product within integrated biorefineries can unlock significant environmental and economic benefits. Full article

Lignocellulosic residues represent a promising source of raw material for obtaining several high-value bioproducts, including cellulose and derivatives. One of the main barriers to cellulose extraction from these residues is the presence of other components associated with the cellulose matrix, such as lignin and hemicellulose. To overcome this limitation, it is necessary to apply specific treatments to remove these constituents. In this study, the effectiveness of three chemical treatment methods in the purification of cellulose extracted from urban pruning biomass of the species Clitoria fairchildiana were evaluated, namely (i) alkaline treatment using dilute sodium hydroxide solution; (ii) alkaline treatment followed by bleaching with hydrogen peroxide; and (iii) alkaline treatment followed by bleaching with hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide combined. The changes in chemical composition and thermal properties caused by each method were analyzed using techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrated that the biomass pretreatment reduced the content of impurities, lignin, and hemicellulose, increasing the cellulose content to 37.16% in the combined treatment (H₂O₂ + NaOH). Furthermore, the FTIR spectra revealed characteristic bands of important functional groups, which reaffirmed the chemical structure of the extracted cellulose through the identification of hydroxyl, carbonyl groups, and C-H bending vibrations. Additionally, the SEM results indicated an increase in specific surface area and greater exposure of fibrils, providing visual confirmation of the removal of constituents from the cellulosic matrix. Collectively, these results demonstrate the potential of combined chemical treatments for the valorization of Clitoria fairchildiana biomass and indicate its technical feasibility for obtaining cellulose with a higher degree of purity. Full article

Corn stover (CS) is an abundant biomaterial, which is regularly rejected during corn harvesting. This biowaste is a typical lignocellulosic source rich in hydroxycinnamates, which are mainly represented by p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. These polyphenols are largely bound onto the lignocellulosic complex and can be effectively liberated using alkaline catalysis. On this basis, the work described herein targeted at developing a high-performance process for producing hydroxycinnamate-enriched extracts, by deploying alkali-catalyzed hydrothermal and organosolv treatments. For this purpose, sodium carbonate was tested as a benign, natural alkali catalyst, along with the well-studied sodium hydroxide. The kinetic study demonstrated that both the alkali catalyst and the organic solvent (ethanol) may significantly affect polyphenol recovery, a fact further investigated by carrying out response surface optimization. The hydrothermal treatment was shown to be more efficacious than the organosolv one, with regard to total polyphenol recovery, while the sodium carbonate catalysis was less efficient compared to the sodium hydroxide one. Under optimized conditions, the hydrothermal treatment afforded 74.4 ± 3.6 mg gallic acid equivalents per g of dry CS mass. On the other hand, a more thorough investigation of the polyphenolic profile of the extracts obtained clearly demonstrated that the sodium hydroxide-catalyzed organosolv treatment provided almost 76 and 98% higher yields for p-coumaric and ferulic acid, respectively, compared to the hydrothermal treatment. Extract composition impacted the antioxidant activity, and it was revealed that the higher the p-coumaric acid/ferulic acid ratio, the stronger the antioxidant effect. It is proposed that the sodium hydroxide-catalyzed ethanol organosolv treatment of CS may be a particularly promising technique in a lignocellulose biorefinery frame, although improvements might be necessary to further increase treatment performance. Such a process might contribute to fully valorizing agricultural biowastes for the production of high value-added chemicals, in line with the “lignin first’ philosophy. Full article

The lignin nanoparticle (LNP) was prepared by the self-assembly method and further blended with poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) to obtain a PBAT/LNP composite using a solvent casting method. It was found that the nano-modification of lignin effectively improved the compatibility between the components, and the mechanical properties, gas barrier properties, UV resistance, degradation, and antibacterial properties of the PBAT/LNP composite. Compared with PBAT, the tensile strength, elongation at break, and elastic modulus of the PBAT/LNP composite with 8 wt% LNP (PBAT/LNP-8) increased by 37.36%, 47.30% and 50.70%, respectively. Moreover, the mechanical properties, UV-blocking performance, and gas barrier properties of PBAT/LNP-8 were better than those of the commercial degradable packing bag, and the composite derived from PBAT and lignin extracted from wheat straw also showed excellent properties. This work explored a way to expand the utilization of lignin from lignocellulosic biomass, which not only helped to solve the environmental pollution caused by the widespread use of non-degradable plastics, but also promoted the replacement of fossil resources. Full article

Advancing circular bioeconomy in thermochemical biorefineries requires species-specific data that link biomass composition and thermochemical performance. Here, we provide the first integrated thermochemical dataset for Quercus pubescens bark combining FT-IR, XRD, XRF, TGA, and measured ash fusion temperatures (AFT). The results reveal that bark is enriched in phenolic extractives (21.2%) and inorganics (15%), with calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) dominating the inorganic fraction, as confirmed by FT-IR and XRD. Thermal decomposition occurs between 150 °C and 690 °C. Pyrolysis follows diffusion-controlled kinetics, with apparent activation energies for bark and its fractions ranging between 70 and 103 kJ mol⁻¹. Extraction increases the activation energy of bark. The ash exhibits a high AFT (softening: 1421 °C, flow: 1467 °C), placing this feedstock within the low-slagging, moderate-fouling range compared to other lignocellulosics. The observed COM-to-CaCO₃/CaO transformation upon heating contributes to the elevated AFT. Reactivity analyses of bark fractions support thermochemical biorefinery routing of fractions: extracted bark (EB) and desuberinised bark (DB) are highly reactive and well-suited to combustion/gasification, whereas raw bark (B) and Klason lignin (KL) exhibit higher thermal stability and yield more persistent char, favoring slow pyrolysis for biochar production. Such routing strategies optimize energy recovery and also enable co-products with environmental co-benefits. Full article