Date Palm Waste Research Articles

Effect of improvement actions on the life-cycle environmental and economic performance of synthetic biofuels from date palm waste in Tunisia

Exploring the economic and environmental suitability of an enhanced bioenergy plant producing synthetic gasoline and diesel from date palm waste in Tunisia with PV-based supply of electricity and oxygen.

Variations in composition and stability of biochars derived from different feedstock types at varying pyrolysis temperature

Feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature primarily affect the properties of resultant biochar. Therefore, the effects of several different feedstock types and various pyrolysis temperatures on structural, chemical, proximate, morphological, and elemental compositional characteristics of the resultant biochars were explored. Nine types of wastes (date palm fiber waste (DF), date palm leaf waste (DL), date palm petiole waste (DP), tomato plant waste (TM), cucumber plant waste (CC), poultry litter (PL), chicken feather waste (CH), cow dung (CD), and conocarpus waste (CN) were collected and pyrolyzed at varying temperatures (300, 400, 500, and 600 °C) to produce different types of biochar, which were subjected to physio-chemical, proximate, and ultimate analyses. Distinctive variations were observed in the characteristics of the used feedstock types and their derived biochars. The biochars derived from CC exhibited the highest pH (8.41–11.02), while the biochars derived from CH demonstrated the minimum pH (7.99–8.40). Overall, the biochars derived from PL, CC, TM, and DL showed higher contents of C as compared to the other biochars, suggesting higher stability. Contrarily, the biochars derived from CH and CD exhibited a higher labile C fraction, indicating its lower recalcitrance than other tested biochars. The biochars produced at low pyrolysis temperatures showed a comparatively amorphous surface with lower alkalinity and electrical conductivity, while higher moisture, net negative charge, labile carbon, and volatile contents. Contrarily, the higher pyrolysis temperature demonstrated the higher ash and fixed carbon contents with more surface porosity and comparatively higher non-labile carbon fraction. Biochar produced at 600 °C exhibited H/C and O/C atomic ratios of <0.2, suggesting higher stability and recalcitrant potential against biochars produced below 500 °C, which showed H/C and O/C atomic ratios in the range of 0.2–0.4.

Efficient Remediation of Cadmium- and Lead-Contaminated Water by Using Fe-Modified Date Palm Waste Biochar-Based Adsorbents

Heavy metals pollution of water resources is an emerging concern worldwide and seeks immediate attention. Date palm waste was transformed into biochar (BC), which was further modified through Fe-intercalation for the production of magnetic biochar (Fe-BC) in this study. The produced BC and Fe-BC were analyzed for chemical, proximate, surface, and elemental composition. The efficiency of the produced adsorbents to decontaminate the water from Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions was investigated through kinetics and an isotherm adsorption batch trial. Kinetics adsorption data fit well with the pseudo-second order and power function model, while equilibrium data were described well with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The maximum adsorption capacity as shown by the Langmuir model was the highest for Fe-BC for both Cd2+ (48.44 mg g-1) and Pb2+ (475.14 mg g-1), compared with that of BC (26.78 mg g-1 Cd2+ and 160.07 mg g-1 Pb2+). Both materials showed higher removal of Pb (36.34% and 99.90% on BC and Fe-BC, respectively) as compared with Cd (5.23% and 12.28% on BC and Fe-BC, respectively) from a binary solution. Overall, Fe-BC was more efficient in adsorbing both of the studied metals from contaminated water. The application of Fe-BC resulted in 89% higher adsorption of Cd2+ and 197% higher adsorption of Pb2+ from aqueous media as compared to BC. Kinetics and isotherm models as well as SEM-EDS analysis of the post-adsorption adsorbents suggested multiple adsorption mechanisms including chemisorption, pore-diffusion, and electrostatic interactions.

Evaluation of Different Insecticides Against Lesser Date Moth, Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick, 1916 (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae) under Field Conditions

Evaluation of Different Insecticides Against Lesser Date Moth, Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick, 1916 (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae) under Field Conditions

Conversion of a mixture of date palm wastes to mesoporous activated carbon for efficient dye adsorption

In this study, we aimed to develop mixture activated carbon (MAC) from a mixture of date palm wastes (petiole, rachis and fiber) through hydrothermal carbonization and microwave-assisted H3PO4 activation and evaluate its adsorption capacity to remove Remazol brilliant blue R (RBBR) from aqueous solution. The MAC was found to be mesoporous, with an average pore diameter and BET surface area of 2.61 nm and 641.23 m2 g−1, respectively. The zeta potential and FTIR results demonstrated that the surface of MAC was negatively charged in its natural state and filled with functional groups such as phenyl, secondary amine, alkyne, aldehyde, and hydroxy groups. The adsorption capacity and percentage removal of RBBR increased and decreased, respectively, when the initial concentration increased. Maximum removal of RBBR was achieved at pH 3 (96.69 mg g−1) and at 30 °C of solution temperature (85.79 mg g−1). Langmuir and pseudo-first-order were the best isotherm and kinetic models for describing the RBBR-MAC adsorption system, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters of ΔH°, ΔS°, ΔG°, and Ea implied that this adsorption system was exothermic, increased randomness at the liquid-solid interface, and was spontaneous and controlled by the physisorption type of sorption, respectively.

Date palm waste compost: a promising alternative for coconut fiber as growing media of melon

Date palm waste compost: a promising alternative for coconut fiber as growing media of melon

Lignin-Containing Cellulose Nanofibrils from TEMPO-Mediated Oxidation of Date Palm Waste: Preparation, Characterization, and Reinforcing Potential.

Lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) have emerged as a new class of nanocelluloses where the presence of residual lignin is expected to impart additional attributes such as hydrophobicity or UV-absorption. In the present work, LCNFs with a lignin content between 7 and 15 wt% were prepared via a TEMPO-mediated oxidation as chemical pretreatment followed by high-pressure homogenization. The impact of the carboxyl content (CC) on the properties of the resulting LCNF gel, in terms of lignin content, colloidal properties, morphology, crystallinity, and thermal stability, were investigated. It was found that lignin content was significantly decreased at increasing CC. In addition, CC had a positive effect on colloidal stability and water contact angle, as well as resulting in smaller fibrils. This lower size, together with the lower lignin content, resulted in a slightly lower thermal stability. The reinforcing potential of the LCNFs when incorporated into a ductile polymer matrix was also explored by preparing nanocomposite films with different LCNF contents that were mechanically tested under linear and non-linear regimes by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests. For comparison purposes, the reinforcing effect of the LCNFs with lignin-free CNFs was also reported based on literature data. It was found that lignin hinders the network-forming capacity of LCNFs, as literature data shows a higher reinforcing potential of lignin-free CNFs. Nonetheless, the tensile strength of the acrylic matrix was enhanced by 10-fold at 10 wt% of LCNF content.

Performance, life cycle assessment, and economic comparison between date palm waste biochar and activated carbon derived from woody biomass

Currently, comparisons between biochar and activated carbon in terms of performance, environmental impacts as well as financial implications are limited. In this study, biochar sourced from date palm waste were analysed using gate-to-grave life cycle assessment approach and results were compared to activated carbon derived from woody biomass. Simapro 8.5 software was used to quantitatively simulate the environmental impacts of both adsorbents. Date palm waste biochar and activated carbon global warming potentials (GWPs) were found to be 1.53 and 8.96 kg CO2eq/kg respectively. The cumulative energy demand (CED) for producing date palm waste biochar was found to be 20.3 MJ/kg, whereas, activated carbon resulted in 119.5 MJ/kg. Both adsorbents’ performance in terms of adsorption capacity were compared, and it was found that biochar is comparable with activated carbon. The economic performance demonstrated that the average cost of production of date palm waste biochar and activated carbon were $1.06/kg and $1.34/kg, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that when the source of energy was changed to renewable energy, a CED dropped to 105.2 MJ/kg and 7.68 MJ/kg, a GWP dropped to 7.29 kg CO2 eq. and 0.665 kg CO2 eq. and production costs dropped to $1.30 and to $1.04 for producing activated carbon and biochar respectively. Based on the results of the study, date palm waste biochar is more cost-effective, shows less environmental impact, and has comparable adsorption efficiency as compared to activated carbon.

Proteomic Analysis of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Leaves in Response to Date Palm Waste Compost Application

Composts are an emerging biofertilizers used in agronomy that can improve crop performance, but much less is known regarding their modes of action. The current study aimed to investigate the differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in barley leaves associated with growth promotion induced by application of date palm waste compost. Morphophysiological measurements revealed that compost induced a significant increase in plant height, chlorophyll content, gas exchange parameters and plant biomass. LC-MS/MS analyses indicate that compost induced global changes in the proteome of barley leaves. A total of 62 DAPs (26 upregulated and 36 downregulated) among a total of 2233 proteins were identified in response to compost application. The expression of DAPs was further validated based on qRT-PCR. Compost application showed altered abundance of several proteins related to abiotic stress, plant defense, redox homeostasis, transport, tricarboxylic acid cycle, carbohydrate, amino acid, energy and protein metabolism. Furthermore, proteins related to metabolic processes of phytohormone, DNA methylation and secondary metabolites were induced. These results indicate that barley responds to compost application by complex metabolism pathways and may result in a positive alteration in a physiological and metabolic barley plant state which consequently could lead to improved growth and stress adaptation observed in compost-treated plants.

Behavior of Concrete Reinforced with Date Palm Fibers.

In recent decades, researchers have begun to investigate innovative sustainable construction materials for the development of greener and more environmentally friendly infrastructures. The main purpose of this article is to investigate the possibility of employing date palm tree waste as a natural fiber alternative for conventional steel and polypropylene fibers (PPFs) in concrete. Date palm fibers are a common agricultural waste in Middle Eastern nations, particularly Saudi Arabia. As a result, this research examined the engineering properties of high-strength concrete using date palm fibers, as well as the performance of traditional steel and PPF concrete. The concrete samples were made using 0.0%, 0.20%, 0.60%, and 1.0% by volume of date palm, steel, and polypropylene fibers. Ten concrete mixtures were made in total. Compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), water absorption capability, and water permeability tests were performed on the fibrous-reinforced high-strength concrete. With a 1% proportion of date palm, steel, and polypropylene fibers, the splitting tensile strength improved by 17%, 43%, and 16%, respectively. By adding 1% fiber, flexural strength was increased by 60% to 85%, 67% to 165%, and 61% to 79%. In addition, date palm fibers outperformed steel and PPFs in terms of density, UPV, and water permeability. As a result, date palm fibers might potentially be employed in the present construction sector to improve the serviceability of structural elements.

Thermal decomposition characterization and kinetic parameters estimation for date palm wastes and their blends using TGA

TGA has been used to evaluate the thermal degradation profiles and kinetic parameters for the pyrolysis of date leaves, date seeds, and leaf stems and their blend at various heating rates (β) in N2. Using Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), and Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW), kinetic parameters like activation energy (E) and frequency factor (A) were estimated. The diffusion, reaction order, and power law models were used to estimate the frequency factors based on the (E) values obtained from the OFW and KAS approaches. Thermal degradation profiles showed two major loss processes: volatilization of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin; and slow oxidation of the residual char. The findings demonstrated that as β increased, the TG profiles shifted to higher temperature ranges. The date palm's decomposition was not favourably reflected by the high (ΔGav) values obtained. The high (ΔSav) values obtained using OFW compared to KAS confirm these materials' high reactivity. The average activation energies (Eav) for the different parts of the date palm wastes ranged between 86 and 117 kJ/mole as predicted by the KAS method, while they were between 92 and 120 kJ/mole using the OFW method. The calculated frequency factor (A) values, evaluated by the KAS and the OFW methods, ranged between 0.0 and ∼ 0.8 × 1019min-1. The difference in (Eav) values between the KAS and OFW techniques is no greater than 8 kJ/mole. For the diffusion models of DSW, DL, and Blend, the best frequency distribution profiles are essentially normal, and the blend exhibits high frequency (A) values in a relatively constrained range of (α). That denotes quick and efficient pyrolysis. The pyrolysis index (CPI) significantly increased as β increased, indicating that pyrolysis was profitable at high heating rates. The volatile release index (Ddev) increases significantly with increasing (β) value, showing that volatiles was easier to release at a high heating rate.

Polygeneration syngas and power from date palm waste steam gasification through an Aspen Plus process modeling

Date palm waste (DPW) is an important waste that is abundantly available in the Middle East. However, this DPW is underutilization in the entire Middle East region. DPW could be a useful source of feedstock to generate sustainable and renewable energy via various thermochemical processes. The core objective of current investigation is to convert the DPW into syngas and the electricity generation from the produced syngas. Furthermore, to configure an integrated system to predict the gas composition and power generation under operating variables of temperature, steam/biomass ratio, compression ratio, and air flowrate. The integrated process simulation model of gasification and power generation model was developed using Aspen Plus V10®. The model consisted of two parts; the production of syngas from steam gasification and the second was the combustion-integrated power turbine system for power generation. The syngas composition at a temperature of 850 °C and steam/biomass of 1.0 was obtained as; H2 37.88 vol%, CO 14.24 vol%, CO2 11.29 vol%, CH4 0.001 vol%. The power generation from the gas turbine increased from 3.2 to 3.6 MW with the increase in temperature. Whereas the total power generation was in the range of 3.2 to 5 MW with an increased steam flowrate of 500–2500 kg/h. Energy analysis shows that the process heat integration of the system is able to fulfill the 78 % utilities requirement within the system. This study provides the potential utilization of DPW for renewable fuel gas and electricity generation through a sustainable route and also provides environmentally friendly disposal of DPW in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world.

Proteomic analysis of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves in response to date palm waste compost application

Proteomic analysis of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves in response to date palm waste compost application

Biochar Produced from Saudi Agriculture Waste as a Cement Additive for Improved Mechanical and Durability Properties-SWOT Analysis and Techno-Economic Assessment.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia generates an enormous amount of date palm waste, causing severe environmental concerns. Green and strong concrete is increasingly demanded due to low carbon footprints and better performance. In this research work, biochar derived from locally available agriculture waste (date palm fronds) was used as an additive to produce high-strength and durable concrete. Mechanical properties such as compressive and flexural strength were evaluated at 7, 14, and 28 days for control and all other mixes containing biochar. In addition, the durability properties of the concrete samples for the mixes were investigated by performing electric resistivity and ultra-sonic pulse velocity testing. Finally, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis was carried out to make strategic decisions about biochar’s use in concrete. The results demonstrated that the compressive strength of concrete increased to 28–29% with the addition of 0.75–1.5 wt% of biochar. Biochar-concrete containing 0.75 wt% of biochar showed 16% higher flexural strength than the control specimen. The high ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) values (>7.79 km/s) and low electrical resistivity (<22.4 kΩ-cm) of biochar-based concrete confirm that the addition of biochar resulted in high-quality concrete free from internal flaws, cracks, and better structural integrity. SWOT analysis indicated that biochar-based concrete possessed improved performance than ordinary concrete, is suitable for extreme environments, and has opportunities for circular economy and applications in various construction designs. However, cost and technical shortcomings in biochar production and biochar-concrete mix design are still challenging.

Isolation and Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Date Palm Waste.

This study presents the isolation, characterization, and kinetic analyses of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from date palm waste in the United Arab Emirates. After bleaching date palm stem waste with acidified NaClO2 and delignification via NaOH treatments, cellulose was extracted. Mineral acid hydrolysis (62 wt % H2SO4) was performed at 45 °C for 45 min to produce crystalline nanocellulose. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and chemical composition analysis confirmed the removal of noncellulosic constituents. The crystallinity index increased gradually with chemical treatments, according to the obtained X-ray diffraction (XRD) results. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that the CNC has high thermal stability. The Coats–Redfern method was used to determine the kinetic parameters. The kinetic analysis confirmed that CNC has more activation energy than cellulose and thus confirms its compact and resistive crystalline structure. This has been attributable to the stronger hydrogen bonding in CNC crystalline domains than that in cellulose crystalline domains. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that lignin and hemicellulose were eliminated after chemical pretreatments, and CNC with a rodlike shape was obtained after hydrolysis. Moreover, transmission electron microscopy confirmed the nanoscale of crystalline cellulose. ζ potential analysis indicated that the CNC afforded a stable suspension (−29.27 mV), which is less prone to flocculation. Kinetic analyses of cellulose and cellulose nanocrystals isolated from date palm waste are useful for making composites and designing selective pyrolysis reactors.

Co-Composting Date Palm Tree Wastes and its Effects on Soil Fertility

UAE is one of the world major producer of dates. In 2015, the country had more than 42 million date palm trees and this number is increasing gradually. Every year there is more than 600,000 tons of date palm tree wastes are generated in farms. Since composting of date palm tree wastes is hard and slow, but when mixed with chicken manures it has been improved and time needed for maturation is greatly reduced, and the produced compost has better quality. Amended sandy soil with produced compost showed better physical, chemical and biological properties against control treatment (farm yard manure, FYM). In this experiment we used several treatments e.g chicken manure compost, CMC, and date palm tree composted wastes, DPTCW in different ratios, to evaluate its quality as organic fertilizer and to study its effects on the properties of sandy soils against control, FYM. CMC reached maturation faster than DPTCW and has higher contents of NPK nutrients than DPTWC, while organic matter and humus were different as composting activity performed. Tested sandy soil showed higher organic carbon content and its numbers of microorganisms has been increased in all treatments against control. Date fruits yield was increased in all treatments above control by 27-62% above control.

Comparison of alkali and ionic liquid pretreatment methods on the biochemical methane potential of date palm waste biomass

Date palm waste biomass is a readily accessible agricultural waste biomass that may be used to produce biogas. Because the complex structure of date palm waste biomass prevents the embedded holo-cellulosic sugars from biodegrading, pretreatment is required to increase methane (CH4) yield. The present investigation aimed to comparatively determine the impact of alkali and ionic liquid pretreatment on the biochemical methane potential (BMP) of different types of date palm waste biomass. The findings revealed that ionic liquid pretreated Palm and Fruit bunch showed the highest BMP (321.67 mL CH4/g-TS) and substrate conversion efficiency (68.01%), respectively, over other biomass samples. In alkali pretreatment, the highest BMP and substrate conversion efficiency were detected with Palm (309.76 mL CH4/g-TS) and Spathe (62.09%). The high BMP and substrate conversion efficiency of date palm waste biomass may be harnessed for bioenergy production when this ionic liquid pretreatment technology is used.

Date Palm Surface Fibers for Green Thermal Insulation

Some of the major challenges of the twenty-first century include the continued increase in energy consumption and environmental pollution. One approach to overcoming these challenges is to increase the use of waste materials and environmentally friendly manufacturing methods. The high energy consumption in the building sector contributes significantly to global climatic changes. Here, by using date palm surface fibers, a high-performance green insulation material was developed via a simple technique that did not rely on any toxic ingredients. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used as a binding agent. Four insulation samples were made, each with a different density within the range of 203 to 254 kg/m3. Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity values for these four green insulators were 0.038–0.051 W/m·K and 0.137–0.147 mm2/s, respectively. Thermal transmittance (U-value) of the four insulation composites was between 3.8–5.1 W/m2·K, which was in good comparison to other insulators of similar thickness. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that insulating sample have excellent thermal stability, with an initial degradation temperature of 282 °C, at which just 6% of its original weight is lost. Activation energy (Ea) analysis revealed the fire-retardancy and weakened combustion characteristics for the prepared insulation composite. According to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, the insulating sample has a melting point of 225 °C, which is extremely close to the melting point of the binder. The fiber-based insulating material’s composition was confirmed by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The ultimate tensile range of the insulation material is 6.9–10 MPa, being a reasonable range. Our study’s findings suggest that developing insulation materials from date palm waste is a promising technique for developing green and low-cost alternatives to petroleum-based high-cost and toxic insulating materials. These insulation composites can be installed in building envelopes during construction.

Date palm waste compost promotes plant growth and nutrient transporter genes expression in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Organic fertilizers have been used in agriculture to improve soil fertility, promote plant growth and protection which improves crop productivity. A field experiment was conducted in order to study the effect of organic fertilizers (compost and its water extract) on growth and yield of organic barley production. The results achieved showed that either compost (T3) or dual application with compost water extract (T4) as biofertilizers increased most yield parameters including straw yield as well as biological yield, number of grains per spike and grain income. With respect to photosynthesizing pigments, the application of T3 and T4 increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll as well as carotenoid content compared to control plants (T1). Nutrient uptake of barley plant, but not grain, also increased under T3 and T4 treatment. This suggests a promoting effect of compost on barley plant growth, development and productivity, as well as nutrient content. Overall findings indicate the effectiveness of compost and its extract application in significantly improving yield performances of barley crop under a field organic farming system. This indicates that compost and its extract could be used as organic fertilizer for barley cultivation under organic farming condition. Real-time PCR analysis showed differential expression of 24 candidate genes such as NRT1, NRT2, AMT and PHT involved in N and P metabolism in barley leaves and roots. This suggests that these genes may play various functions and control the uptake, transport, reduction, assimilation and translocation of nitrate, ammonium and phosphorus in barley vegetative organs.

Evolution of agricultural wastes for the cultivation of edible mushroom Pleurotus eryngii

This research studies the possible use of some of Iraq's local agricultural wastes as growth substrates for producing the edible oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii). The biological process of growing and producing edible mushrooms is a bioconversion of organic wastes to bioprotein (mycoprotein). Therefore, this study aims to investigate nine different substrates from plant residues. The three primary substrates are typical viz date palm waste (Phoenix dactylifera), maize cob (Zea mays) and cane (Phragmites communis), with two types of additional enrichment, i.e., rice husks (Oryza sativa) and corn seeds husks (Zea mays), and without further enrichment (control). The experiment was randomly distributed according to Randomized Complete Design (RCD), with three replicates. The less crop cycle period (day) which in Treatments T7 and T8 (30.33, 31.67 days) when T2 (100%Corncobs), T1 (100%Waste of Date palm), T7 (80%Waste of the date palm with 20%Corn husks) and T8 (80% Corncobs with 20%Corn husks) provide the crest mushrooms yield arrived 293.0 280.7, 268.7 and 264.0 g kg-1 substrate respectively. Keywords. Bio protein; lignocelluloses; Mushroom substrates; Oyster mushrooms