Corncob Biomass Research Articles

Efficient synthesis of 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid from corncob biomass using Ru/C and sulfonated carbon catalysts in a one‐pot system

AbstractThis study proposes a novel one‐pot method to produce 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which effectively simplifies the preparation process of FDCA by directly utilizing the biomass raw material corncob and its derived carbon‐based catalysts. In this work, we first prepared two different carbon‐based catalysts from corncobs: a ruthenium‐supported catalyst (Ru/C) and a sulfonated carbon catalyst. After detailed characterization and performance testing, these two catalysts were used to catalyze the pretreated corncob mixture to produce FDCA. Under optimized conditions, even using 0.12 g of Ru/C catalyst at a microwave power of 200 W, the yield of FDCA can reach 27 mol%. In comparison, the FDCA yield of the sulfonated carbon catalyst under the same conditions was 19 mol%. This work not only demonstrates the possibility of efficient production of FDCA by utilizing biomass resources and a simplified chemical conversion process, but also highlights the importance of selecting appropriate catalysts and controlling reaction conditions in improving yields. Through this method, we can promote the development of biomass conversion technology in a more efficient and environmentally friendly direction, providing technical support for the commercial production of bio‐based chemicals.

Nanocellulose from Mankamana-3 corncob biomass: Synthesis, characterization, surface modification and potential applications

This study characterizes corncob from the Nepali variety Mankamana-3, an abundantly available agricultural waste, extracts nanocellulose from it, modifies the nanocellulose with copper nanoparticles, and explores its potential application. The corncobs were mechanically processed into fine powder, delignified by base hydrolysis, bleached and then subjected to acid hydrolysis to obtain nanocellulose fibrils. The corncob contained ~38.86 % cellulose, ~22.02 % lignin, ~34.89 % hemicellulose, ~0.97 % moisture, ~3.33 % ash with minimal moisture content (0.97 %). Transmission electron microscopy imaging confirmed nanocellulose fibers with an average diameter of 28.2 ± 2.57 nm. X-ray diffraction results revealed the existence of both cellulose I and cellulose II polymorphs in nanocellulose with 66.55 % crystallinity index (CrI). Further, copper nanoparticles were grown on nanocellulose fibrils, which showed significant antimicrobial activity against E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans, and prolonged stability in the ambient environment. The corncob biomass-derived nanocellulose could potentially replace conventional inorganic supports for growing various nanoparticles.

Sustainable biofuels from corncobs: optimization of microwave pretreatment for enhanced fermentable sugar yield

Microwave-Assisted Alkali (MAA) pretreatment of corncob biomass was optimized for maximum fermentable sugar yield using dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis. A Central Composite Design (CCD) investigated the effects of microwave power (450–9000 W), NaOH concentration (1.5 to 4.5% wt./v), and irradiation time (10–20 min) on lignin removal. The optimal MAA pretreatment conditions were found to be 691.73 W, 3.4% NaOH, and 15.5 min, resulting in the selective removal of 73.36% lignin with high retention of cellulose (71.69%) and hemicellulose (22.14%). Characterization techniques (FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA) confirmed substantial changes in surface morphology, functional groups, crystallinity, and thermal stability of the pretreated corncobs. Dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis (0.5–2.5%, 110130 °C, 3060 min) of the optimized sample yielded a maximum reducing sugar output of 537.42 mg/g, achieved at 0.534% H2SO4, 122.3 °C, for 58 min. Optimizing Microwave-Assisted Alkali pretreatment process for corncobs could boost biofuel production efficiency, sustainably utilize agricultural waste, and advance a more sustainable energy landscape.

Porous carbon derived from center part of the corn cob for high-performance symmetrical supercapacitors

The central part of agricultural waste biomass corn cob was used as carbon precursor and KHCO3 as activating agent, and porous carbon materials were prepared by one-step carbonization method. The effect of KHCO3 on the structure and properties of porous carbon was studied. The results show that KHCO3 has an etching effect on porous carbon, and the greater the amount of KHCO3, the stronger the etching effect. The obtained biomass porous carbon material has abundant pores, reasonable pore size distribution and high specific surface area, which is conducive to ion transfer and charge storage. In addition, the heteroatom self-doping of porous carbon can improve surface hydrophilicity and generate additional pseudocapacitance, thereby improving its electrochemical properties. Electrochemical characterization shows that the porous carbon has a specific capacitor of up to 323 F g−1. The assembled symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) has an energy density of 20 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 350 W kg−1. This low-cost, high-performance electrode material has potential applications in high-power supercapacitors.

A Combination of Transcriptome and Enzyme Activity Analysis Unveils Key Genes and Patterns of Corncob Lignocellulose Degradation by Auricularia heimuer under Cultivation Conditions.

The cultivation of Auricularia heimuer, a species of edible mushroom, heavily relies on the availability of wood resources serving as substrate for the growth of the species. To ensure the sustainable development of the A. heimuer industry and optimize the utilization of corncob as a substrate, this study sought to investigate the potential use of corncob as a substrate for the cultivation of A. heimuer. The purpose of this study was to explore the utilization of corncob lignocellulose by A. heimuer at the mycelium, primordium, and fruiting stages, by specifically examining the expression profiles of both carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and the transcriptome of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) relevant to corncob biomass degradation. The results revealed 10,979, 10,630, and 11,061 DEGs at the mycelium, primordium, and fruiting stages, respectively, while 639 DGEs were identified as carbohydrate-active enzymes. Of particular interest were 46 differentially expressed CAZymes genes that were associated directly with lignocellulose degradation. Furthermore, the study found that A. heimuer exhibited adaptive changes that enabled it to effectively utilize the cellulose present in the corncob. These changes were observed primarily at the primordium and fruiting stages. Key genes involved in lignocellulose degradation were also identified, including g6952, g8349, g12487, and g2976 at the mycelium stage, g5775, g2857, g3018, and g11016 at the primordium stage, and g10290, g2857, g12385, g7656, and g8953 at the fruiting stage. This study found that lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) played a crucial role in the degradation of corncob cellulose, further highlighting the complexity of the molecular mechanisms involved in the degradation of lignocellulose biomass by A. heimuer. The study sheds light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of A. heimuer to degrade corncob biomass, with implications for the efficient utilization of lignocellulose resources. The findings from this study may facilitate the development of innovative biotechnologies for the transformation of corncob biomass into useful products.

Exploring the potential of biomass-derived carbons for the separation of fluorinated gases with high global warming potential

The development of advanced and innovative biomaterials with porous structural characteristics for the capture of fluorinated gases (F-gases) is important to contribute to the reduction of emissions of these gases with very high global warming potential. In this work, four biocarbons (CC-1:3H3PO4, CC-1:1H3PO4, CC-K2CO3 and CC-CO2) were produced by chemical and physical activation of corn cob biomass (CC). The adsorption equilibria of difluoromethane (R-32), pentafluoroethane (R-125), 1,1,1-tetrafluoroethane (R-125), 1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen (N2) on these biocarbons were determined at 303.15 K. The highest adsorption capacities were obtained for CC-K2CO3 and CC-CO2 and a full characterization was also performed for these biomaterials at 283.15 and 323.15 K. On the other hand, the selectivities of SF6/N2 and the commercial refrigerants R-410A, R-407C, and R-407F were estimated using the Ideal Adsorption Solution theory (IAST). The results obtained for SF6/N2 show that the biocarbon CC-K2CO3 stands out from the other materials. In addition, the CC-CO2 shows a preference for R-32 over R-125 for the separation of the R-410A. Finally, CC-K2CO3 has a greater preference for R-134a over R-32 and R-125 in the R-407C and R-407F blends. Overall, these novel biocarbons improve the separation and purification of the F-gases under study, facilitating their application on a pilot scale.

Green process prorogue by xylanase enzyme and cellulose-derived sulfonated graphene oxide-like reinforcement in xylose and furfural production from corncob biomass

In this study, a process following the principles of green chemistry was applied for effective agricultural by-product conversion into biochemicals. Corncob was synergistically pretreated with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide:glacial acetic acid (1:2:2 wt/v/v) which was denoted as C-HPAC and then xylanase enzyme-assisted hydrolysis to obtain the highest xylose content of 1.99g with 66.41 % separation efficiency at 50 °C for 15h, and xylanase enzyme content of 0.4g/3g C-HPAC. Otherwise, the sulfonated graphene oxide-like structural material (EC-SGO) was synthesized through the sulfonation method using various concentrations of H2SO4 agent with EC-GO that was calcined with the mixture of ferrocene and cellulose (1:1 wt/wt) at 300 °C for 30 min. The highest furfural yield was 76.63 ± 2.23 % under the conditions of 60 mg EC-SGO catalyst, xylose concentration of 3 g/L, and NaCl 0.05 mol/L, at 180 °C in 60 min. Hence, the synergistic effect of NaCl and Brønsted acid sites (−SO3H) was confirmed through the XPS spectrum with an acid content of 0.6895 mmol/gcatalyst and depicted simultaneously a vital role through the proposal mechanism of converting xylose to furfural. The synthesized catalyst retains its stability for the multiple cycles of furfural production. Furthermore, this work has provided a route for the fractional separation of xylose and cellulose with assisted-enzymatic.

Adsorptive performances and valorization of green synthesized biochar–based activated carbon from banana peel and corn cob composites for the abatement of Cr(VI) from synthetic solutions: Parameters, isotherms, and remediation studies

This study intended to remove Cr(VI) from an aqueous synthetic solution employing synthesized biochar adsorbent from a blend of locally sourced banana peel, and corn cob biomass wastes. An equal ratio of the prepared powder was activated with ZnCl2 solution (1:1 wt basis) and carbonized for 2 h at 600 °C. The proximate analysis of the selected BP-CCAC@ZC3 biochar was conducted. Subsequently, its surface area, surface functions, and morphology were examined using BET analysis, FTIR, and SEM techniques, respectively. The proximate analysis of BP–CCAC@ZC3 showed a moisture content of 2.37 ± 0.80 %, an ash content of 8.07 ± 0.75 %, volatile matter of 19.38 ± 2.66 %, and fixed carbon of 70.18 %. It was found that the synthesized BP–CCAC@ZC3 had 432.149 m2/g of a specific area as per the BET surface area analysis. The highest efficiency for Cr(VI) removal was determined to be 97.92 % through adsorption batch tests using a dose of 0.4 g of BP-CCAC@ZC3, an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 20 mg/L, pH of 2, and 35 min contact time. Likewise, the adsorption process was effectively described by the Langmuir isotherm model, which had a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9977) and a maximum adsorption capacity of 19.16 mg/g, indicating a monolayer adsorption mechanism. The BP-CCAC@ZC3 biochar exhibited reusability for up to four cycles with only a slight decrease in effectiveness, highlighting its potential for sustainable wastewater treatment. Overall, using corn cob and banana peel composites to synthesize activated carbon with ZnCl2 offers a promising method for effectively removing Cr(VI) containing wastewater.

Kinetics, equilibrium thermodynamics and machine learning modeling of the adsorption of acid dyes by corncob derived magnetic modified biomass

The removal of Acid dyes (Acid Orange 52, AO-52 and Acid Red 87, AR-87) from aqueous solutions in a batch process using Magnetic modified corncob biomass (Corncob@Fe3O4) is reported. The effects of factors such as dyes concentrations, contact time, adsorbent dosage and temperature were investigated. The kinetics and equilibrium data were modeled appropriately while Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) as well as multiple linear regression (MLR) based on Box–Behnkem design of experiment were used to model the combined effect of the factors. The thermodynamics parameters were obtained from van’t Hoff expression. Although all the kinetic models fitted the data, first order kinetic model best fitted the data with highest R2 and lowest Reduced Chi square (χ2). The monolayer adsorption capacities from Langmuir model are 47.85 and 22.48 mg/g for AO-52 and AR-87 respectively. The thermodynamic parameters obtained showed that the process is spontaneously feasible and entropy driven. Statistical evaluation showed that the process is well modeled in the order of ANN > RSM > MLR for AO-52 and MLR > ANN > RSM for AO-87. The study showed that magnetic modified corncob biomass is effective and competed favorably with other adsorbents for the adsorption of AO-52 and AO-87 dyes from aqueous solution.

Ultrahigh and kinetic-favorable adsorption for recycling urea using corncob-derived porous biochar

Insufficient attention has been given to the recycling of excess urea despite its potential detrimental effects on soil nutrient equilibrium, geological structure, and crop health. In this study, corncob-derived porous biochar (CPB), which is rich in surface functional groups, was prepared from biomass corncob in two steps as an adsorbent to remove urea from wastewater. Compared with the typical carbonization and activation processes, this process resulted in a higher yield of CPB and an ultrahigh adsorption capacity for urea. Response surface analysis was utilized to determine the optimal carbonization conditions, which were found to be 500 °C for 6 h with a heating rate of 15 °C/min. The exceptional adsorption capability of CPB can be ascribed to its porous structure and significant presence of oxygen-containing functional groups, which facilitate a synergistic interaction of physisorption and chemisorption. This adsorption phenomenon aligns with the Harkins–Jura isotherm model and adheres to pseudo-second order kinetics. CPB demonstrates potential as an adsorbent for the elimination of urea from wastewater in an economical and effective fashion.

Hydrothermal carbonization of corncob for hydrochar production and its combustion reactivity in a blast furnace.

A key factor restricting the application of biochar in the steel industry is its high-quality upgrading. This paper evaluated the characteristics of hydrochar produced by HTC (hydrothermal carbonization) process of corncob to be used as a solid fuel. HTC temperatures (240-300°C) and HTC water-reused times (1-3 times) were examined for their effects on hydrochar yield, physicochemical characteristics, and combustion properties. The results showed hydrochar yields, O/C, and H/C parameters decreased as HTC temperature and water-reused times increased, while its high heating value increased. Due to dehydration and decarboxylation, hydrochar showed similar characteristics to those in bituminous coal. The removal efficiency of alkali metal K reached 99% after HTC treatment. Carbonaceous hydrochar had become more compact, orderly, and stable with increasing amounts of aromatic functional groups, C = C, and C = O. Hydrochar, as a biofuel, has higher ignition energy and is more stable than corncob due to its high carbonaceous order degree. To calculate combustion kinetic parameters, the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) methods were applied. The results revealed that Eα (average activation energy) was quite similar between the two models. HC-300 had an Eα of 262kJ/mol. HTC could be an efficient way to reutilize corncob biomass into clean biofuels with high calorific value.

Sequestration of chromium(vi) and nickel(ii) heavy metals from unhygienic water via sustainable and innovative magnetic nanotechnology.

In a stride towards sustainable solutions, this research endeavors to address the critical issue of water pollution via heavy metals by coupling the power of magnetic nanotechnology, in combination with a green chemistry approach, to eliminate two noxious inorganic pollutants: chromium(vi) and nickel(ii) from aqueous environments. The synthesis of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles was achieved using ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3·6H2O) as a precursor, with the assistance of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. leaves extract, known for its remarkable salt-reducing properties. A range of bio-adsorbents, derived from corncob biomass, corncob pyrolyzed biochar, and magnetite/corncob biochar nanocomposite (NC), were engineered for their eco-friendly and biocompatible characteristics. Extensive parametric optimizations, including variations in pH, contact time, dose rate, and concentration, were carried out to gain insights into the adsorption behavior and capacity of these bioadsorbents concerning Cr(vi) and Ni(ii). Equilibrium and kinetic studies were undertaken to comprehensively understand the adsorption dynamics. In the case of Ni(ii), the Freundlich isotherm model provided a satisfactory fit for all bio-adsorbents, demonstrating R2 values of 0.91, 0.95, and 0.96 for BM, BC, and NC, respectively. Furthermore, the pseudo 1st order model emerged as the most suitable fit for Cr(vi) sequestration in corncob BM with an R2 value of 0.98, while pseudo 2nd order models were robustly fitted for BC and NC, yielding R2 values of 0.88 and 0.99, respectively. The magnetite/corncob nanocomposite outperformed other bioadsorbents in removing heavy metals from wastewater due to its environmental friendliness, larger surface area, reusability, and cost-effectiveness at an industrial scale.

Eco-friendly synthesis of copper oxide nanomaterial by using Musa paradisiaca leaves extract and their slow pyrolysis or catalytic reduction activities

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have been prepared via sol-gel synthetic approach using aqueous leaves extract of Musa paradisiacal and copper chloride dehydrate salt. UV visible spectroscopy showed maximum peak for CuO NPs at 535 nm. Additionally, the SEM XRD techniques confirmed spherical shape of CuO NPs with average size of 15 nm. Nitro compounds have been carefully chosen as a tested contaminant to study performance of CuO NPs. Catalytic reduction of nitro compounds was investigated under different temperatures to evaluate thermodynamic studies. According to the results, catalytic reduction of nitro compounds obeys Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. The value of apparent rate constant shows a linear trend with catalyst concentration. The catalytic pyrolysis of corncob biomass in the presence of CuO NPs showed more bio-oil (46.13 %) yield as compared to ZSM-5 (40.07 %) and without catalyst (37.09 %) reactions. The data also confirmed that CuO NPs showed excellent performance as a micro-reactor for catalytic degradation of nitro compounds and catalytic pyrolysis. The CuO NPs have been isolated and reused in 5 consecutive cycles with good and reproducible excellent performance.

Fabrication of magnetic activated carbon from corn-cob biomass for the removal of acidic dyes from wastewater

Herein, iron oxide nanocomposites were prepared using corn cob waste biomass and Fe (NO3)3.9 H2O as iron source. The dried corn cob in grinded form were mixed with Fe (NO3)3.9 H2O solution heated for 60 min at 300 °C in nitrogen atmosphere to ensure complete carbonization. The exterior morphology, particle sizes, crystallinity, and elemental content etc. of the fabricated composite were SEM, XRD, and EDX analysis respectively. The XRD confirmed the presence of iron oxide on activated carbon framework and also validated the nano sized dimensions of resulting magnetic adsorbent. The nanocomposites were then employed as adsorbent for the removal of acid orange 8 and acid red 4 dyes from aqueous medium. To get maximum adsorption of selected dyes the experimental conditions like dosage of the adsorbent, temperature, and contact time were optimized. Langmuir and pseudo second order kinetics models best fitted experimental isotherm and kinetics data respectively. The optimum removal of selected dyes was achieved with 0.01 g of adsorbent dosage whereas equilibrium for both the dyes were achieved in 1 h. Additionally, the Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°) of the adsorption were enumerated using Vant’s Hof plot. The adsorption processes were found to be endothermic, as evident from positive values of ΔH° = 9.651 kJ/mol for AO 8 and 16.493 kJ/mol for AR 4. The processes in both the cases were found as spontaneous at higher temperature, evident from the positive to negative trending values of ΔG° (714.29, 104.28, and −505.733 J/mol for AO 8 and 271.93, −835.306, and −1942.54 J/mol for AR 4 at 20 °C, 40 °C, and 60 °C respectively. The positive entropy change (ΔS°) values of 30.5007 J/mol.K and 55.362 J/mol.K recorded, indicates the increasing disorder at the solid-solution interface for both the dyes. An attempt was made to recycle adsorbent using suitable solvents and up to 5 cycles the removing efficiency retained was still 76%.

Steady states and kinetic modelling of the acid-catalysed ethanolysis of glucose, cellulose, and corn cob to ethyl levulinate.

Ethyl levulinate is a promising advanced biofuel and platform chemical that can be derived from lignocellulosic biomass by ethanolysis processes. It can be blended with both diesel and gasoline and, thus, used in conventional engines and infrastructure. Previously, it has been shown that alkyl levulinate/alcohol/alkyl ether mixtures exhibit significantly enhanced fuel properties relative to any of the individual fuel components, particularly when blended with conventional hydrocarbon liquid fuels. Consequently, this study specifically quantifies the three primary components of the alcoholysis reaction mixture: ethyl levulinate, diethyl ether, and ethanol. The steady state and kinetic phase fractions of ethyl levulinate and diethyl ether produced from glucose, cellulose, and corn cob with 0.5-2 mass% sulphuric acid in ethanol are determined for 5, 10, and 20 mass% of feedstock at 150 °C. Knowledge of the steady state equilibrium mixture fraction is specifically targeted due to its importance in assessing commercial-scale production and in modelling analysis as: (i) it defines the maximum yield possible at a given condition, and (ii) it is equitable to the minimum free energy state. Maximum steady state yields (mass%) of ethyl levulinate of (46.6 ± 3.7), (50.2 ± 5.4), and (27.0 ± 1.9)% are determined for glucose, cellulose, and corn cob, respectively. The conversion of glucose and cellulose to ethyl levulinate in the presence of ethanol and sulphuric acid is shown to be a catalytic process, where the ethyl levulinate yield is not dependent on the acid concentration. For corn-cob biomass, in a new and contrasting finding, the ethyl levulinate yield is shown to strongly depend on the acid concentration. This effect is also observed in the fractions of diethyl ether formed, providing strong evidence that the hydrogen cation is not being replenished in the ethanolysis process and the overall reaction with corncob is not wholly catalytic. Thus, for the acid catalysed alcoholysis of lignocellulosic biomass, acid concentration must be scaled with feedstock concentration. The critical corn cob-to-acid ratio that maximises ethyl levulinate yields while minimizing the formation of undesired co-products (diethyl ether) is in the range 10-20 : 1 at 150 °C. A detailed, hierarchical, mass-conserved chemical kinetic model capable of accurately predicting the relative abundance of the three primary components of the ethanolysis reaction: ethyl levulinate, diethyl ether, and ethanol, from the biochemical composition of the feedstock, is elucidated and validated.

Graphitized corncob 3D Biomass‒driven anode for high performance batch and continuous modes Air‒Cathode microbial fuel cells working by domestic wastewater

Effective 3D anode was prepared by graphitization of corncob biomass at high temperature under an inert atmosphere. As an anode in the microbial fuel cells, the proposed electrode revealed very good performance in both batch and continuous modes when the process parameters were optimized. The physicochemical characterizations indicated that the surface of the prepared anode is decorated by micro porous layers array and composed of SiO2‒incorporated graphite. Moreover, investigation the electrical properties showed very good electrical conductivity dependent on the preparation temperature; 6.9, 8.6 and 8.9 S/m for the electrode prepared at 900, 1000 and 1100 °C, respectively. The performance of the proposed anode was evaluated in air‒cathode single chamber microbial fuel cell driven by domestic wastewater without using exterior microorganisms. The electrochemical measurements, for the batch mode cell, displayed high power density generation upon utilizing the corncob electrode compared to commercial anodes; 100 ± 8, 135 ± 11 and 2010 ± 85 mW/m2 from cells assembled using carbon paper, carbon cloth and corncob‒1100 °C, respectively. Moreover, addition of sodium acetate strongly enhanced the cell performance as the generated power density was increased from 475 ± 30 to 1963 ± 90 mW/m2 after addition of the salt (5 g/l), however the experimental results indicated that 5 g/l is the optimum salt concentration. In a continuous mode cell, the results concluded that the proposed 3D anode can be used fresh or after colonization of a biofilm. Interestingly, the generated power from the continuous mode cell is higher than the batch mode system due to mass transfer resistance elimination.

Facile preparation of micro-porous biochar from Bangladeshi sprouted agricultural waste (corncob) via in-house built heating chamber for cationic dye removal

Herein, in-house built heating chamber aided facile preparation of biochar was carried out using Bangladeshi sprouted corncob as the precursor for removing methylene blue (MB). The corncob biomass (CCB) was pyrolyzed at 700 °C for 2hrs (heating rate: 10 °C/min) using the in-house built heating chamber in a muffle furnace, eliminating the necessity of pyrolytic chamber. The prepared corncob biochar (CCBC) was characterized for elemental composition, crystallinity (XRD), functional groups (ATR-FTIR), surface morphology-elemental composition (SEM-EDX), surface area (BET), surface charge (point of zero charge), particle size-stability (DLS-zeta potential) and thermal stability (STA). Adsorption efficacy of CCBC was investigated in batch experiment with MB dye as well as effect of various factors such as contact time (5–120 min), initial MB concentration (7–15 mg/L), pH (2–10) and adsorbent dosage (10–35 mg). Without any chemical treatment for activation, CCBC produced maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) of 20.42mgg−1 at 25 °C. The adsorption behavior of MB by CCBC could be better understood by Langmuir isotherm and Pseudo-second order kinetic model as they were the best fitted isotherm and kinetic models. Thus, waste to treat waste, meaning agricultural wastes like corncob can easily be converted into effective adsorbent for treating dye bearing wastewater.

Eco-friendly and rapid one-step fermentable sugar production from raw lignocellulosic biomass using enzyme mimicking nanomaterials: A novel cost-effective approach to biofuel production

Cerium-doped iron oxide nanoparticles (CeFe3O4-NPs) possessing exceptional laccase and cellulase/hemicellulase mimicking properties were exploited for simultaneous pretreatment (i.e. delignification) and saccharification (SPS) of raw corn cob (CC) biomass. Here, we developed an eco-friendly single step SPS strategy for conversion of raw CC biomass into C6 and C5 sugars using CeFe3O4-NPs with in-houseproduced cellulase andhemicellulaseenzymes which generated maximum glucose (20.3 ± 1.01 g/L) and xylose (22.0 ± 2.22 g/L) within 24 h of hydrolysis at 55 °C and further 21.7 g/L of bioethanol was produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These results clearly elucidated the role of CeFe3O4-NPs as lignocellulose degrading laccase and cellulase/hemicellulase enzymes. Remarkably, the presence of CeFe3O4-NPs has triggered xylose utilization in S. cerevisiae which is completely a new finding. This study can provide new insights towards the probable role of CeFe3O4-NPs in the up-regulation of significant genes responsible for xylose utilization which is a noteworthy finding in the field of ‘biomass to biofuel’ conversion.

Food-grade xylitol production from corncob biomass with acute oral toxicity studies

Xylitol, a sugar substitute, is widely used in various food formulations and finds a steady global market. In this study, xylitol crystals were produced from corncob by fermentation (as an alternative to the chemical catalytic process) by a GRAS yeast Pichia caribbica MTCC 5703 and characterized in detail for their purity and presence of any possible contaminant that may adversely affect mammalian cell growth and proliferation. The acute and chronic oral toxicity trials demonstrated no gross pathological changes with average weekly weight gain in female Wistar rats at high xylitol loading (LD50 > 10,000mg/kg body weight). The clinical chemistry analysis supported the evidence of no dose-dependent effect by analyzing blood biochemical parameters. The finding suggests the possible application of the crystals (> 98% purity) as a food-grade ingredient for commercial manufacture pending human trials.

Techno-economic process parameter studies for hydrogel composite production from corncob biomass and its application as fertilizer releasing agent

Techno-economic process parameter studies for hydrogel composite production from corncob biomass and its application as fertilizer releasing agent