Agro Residual Biomass Conversion: A Step Towards Pollution Control and Sustainable Waste Management

Abstract

Greenhouse gases emissions and exponential growth in pollutants due to excessive consumption of fossil fuels have become a major problem worldwide. At the same time, smog problems due to agricultural residue waste burning are making habitats of Delhi’s lives difficult. In the year 2018, we have already witnessed a week “smog out” situation in Delhi which is primarily caused due to crop residues burning in Punjab, Haryana and other neighbouring states. Thus, it is essential methods to curb and control pollution via efficient disposal of agricultural waste. Interestingly, agricultural waste materials such as sugarcane bagasse, rice husk, rice straw and plants leaf have the potential to serve as a substitute of fossil fuels. In general, agricultural waste such as sugarcane bagasse falls under the category of lignocellulosic biomass having lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose as major constituents. These wastes lignocellulosic waste biomass can be converted to fuels and chemicals via different methods such as chemical conversion, biological conversion, catalytic conversion and pyrolysis. However, pyrolysis of lignocellulosic waste is most appropriate and feasible method which does not essentially require the involvement of severe chemicals. In the present manuscript, a detailed overview of various pyrolysis methods will be discussed for waste biomass conversion to produce fuels and chemicals. Post this, the application of pyrolytic processes will be extended to other solid waste materials such as plastic waste, e-waste and municipal solid waste to produce energy and chemicals. Eventually, potential impact of these technologies on pollution control and sustainable waste management will be presented.