Sisal Bagasse Research Articles

Potential Application of Membrane Obtained from Sisal Bagasse in the Removal of Inhibitors from the Fermentation Process

Annual world production of sisal is estimated to be 400,000 tons, but the processing of sisal fiber generates around 160,000 tons of waste per year. The sisal bagasse is discarded, even though it is about 60% carbohydrates in its structure. Therefore, this work seeks to add value to sisal bagasse through the production of cellulose acetate membranes aimed at removing inhibitors from the fermentation process. The membrane was developed using a cellulose acetate polymer synthesized from cellulose isolated from sisal bagasse. Alkaline and acid pre-treatments resulted in 90% pure cellulose. The obtained cellulose acetate was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. In the synthesis of the membranes, the influence of agitation time and temperature of the bath on the selectivity and porosity were evaluated in four tests, the third condition stood out with porosity of 26.23% and selectivity of 94.51% in the removal of the furfural and 36.62% of the acetic acid.

Soursop production under supplementary irrigation and mulching in the semiarid region of Brazil

ABSTRACT Irregular rainfall in the semiarid region of Brazil and in the world exerts a limiting action on agricultural production, in general, including fruit species. Under these conditions, irrigation is the input that keeps the production system both economically and socially viable. This study was carried out from 2012 to 2014, in the municipality of Remígio, Paraíba State, Brazil, aiming at evaluating the production of ‘Morada’ soursop cultivated under rainfed and irrigated conditions, in soil with and without mulch, in two harvests. The treatments were distributed in randomized block design with three replicates in a 2 × 3 × 2 factorial scheme, corresponding to non-irrigated plants (0 mm water depth) and plants irrigated weekly (17.2 mm water depth) in soil without mulching, with cover crop residues, and with a sisal bagasse mulch in the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 crop years. In the soil without mulching, irrigation increased yield from 5.3 to 34.7 t ha-1 in the first harvest and from 9.4 to 57.7 t ha-1 in the second harvest. The association between irrigation and mulch with sisal residue promoted the highest yield. The use of mulch of sisal residue increased the number and mean mass of fruits, production per plant and yield of ‘Morada’ soursop compared to the soil without mulch and covered by crop residues.

Detoxification of sisal bagasse hydrolysate using activated carbon produced from the gasification of açaí waste

Due to its recalcitrance and difficult disruption, biomass requires severe treatment conditions to produce bioproducts. These processes also generate substances that inhibit microbial metabolism, resulting in low conversion of sugars into bioproducts. To minimize this, in this work the sisal bagasse acid hydrolysate was detoxified using the activated carbon obtained from residues of the gasification of açaí endocarp. The adsorbent properties were analyzed, and the effects of experimental parameters related to furfural adsorption were evaluated. Then, the validation of the adsorption experiments was carried out in acid hydrolyzed liquor from sisal bagasse, the fermentation tests being performed with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Overall, the furfural adsorption in the activated carbon was fast since most of the furfural was removed in the first minutes of the experiment. The Sips isotherm fit the experimental data best, with maximum adsorption capacity of 48.02 mg.g−1. Kinetic data fitted LDF, QDF and FD models, and diffusivity parameters were obtained. After detoxification, the activated carbon from açaí waste removed 52% of furfural, 100% of HMF and 40.4% of acetic acid with moderate loss of sugars (17%). The results confirmed that the adsorbent is effective and promising for removing furfural and other fermentation inhibitors.

Effect of supplementation, temperature and pH on carotenoids and lipids production by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa on sisal bagasse hydrolyzate

Carotenoids are pigments naturally present in plant and animal cells, which can also be chemically synthesized. Since they are fat-soluble pigments, they are usually found together with lipids. An alternative way of obtaining these compounds is through biotechnological production, in which agro-industrial residues can be used as substrates. The present study aimed to determine the variables that majorly influence the lipids and carotenoids production by the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa , using sisal bagasse hydrolyzate as substrate. Plackett-Burman design was carried out with eight input variables and three response variables. Yeast carotenoid production was mainly influenced by temperature and pH, with maximum biomass (12.87 g L −1 ) obtained at a temperature of 34.0 °C and a pH of 5.0, and maximum carotenoid synthesis (1.13 g L −1 ) at a temperature of 22.0 °C and a pH of 7.0. The results suggest that through the control of the cultivation conditions (pH and temperature), it is possible to use the sisal bagasse as substrate for the lipids and carotenoids production using the yeast R. mucilaginosa . The sisal bagasse-yeast system has the potential to obtain lipids and carotenoids on a large scale and at a reduced cost. In addition, the lipid profile obtained, rich in essential fatty acids , mainly oleic and linoleic, configure the biocompounds produced as high quality, with potential for application in the food, chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors.

Structural-chemical characterization and potential of sisal bagasse for the production of polyols of industrial interest

Sisal is a potential raw material for the production of bioproducts because it has high contents of cellulose and hemicellulose that generate fermentable sugars and can produce compounds of value for industrial use. The present study evaluates the structural composition of sisal bagasse to use it in the production of arabitol and xylitol. Sisal bagasse was characterized by determination of the moisture, pH, ash, soluble solids, extractives, alpha cellulose, holocellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Electron microscopy and infrared and X-ray diffraction analyses were also performed. The cell growth of the yeast Debaryomyces hansenii in synthetic media was tested to determine the best conditions for the fermentation in the sisal bagasse hydrolysate. The results showed high amounts of hemicellulose (22.91%) in sisal bagasse biomass when compared to sugarcane and the conversion of hemicellulose, breaking into pentoses in the hydrolysed liquor from the sisal bagasse, was efficient (liquor rich in pentoses). These evidences were obtained through analytical determinations such as SEM and physical analyses of infrared and X-ray diffraction; in addition, the results showed that D. hansenii gave excellent arabitol production (1.14 g L−1) values in the sisal bagasse hydrolysate medium, thus demonstrating the importance of the biomass for obtaining bioproducts.

Efficient hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass into free sugars for a future development processing a biorefinery context

Abstract Due to the commitments for environment preservation, there has been a growing interest in the use of alternative energy sources for the production of bioproducts of added value. In this context, sisal has been considered a promising alternative to meet the global demand in a more sustainable way. Thus, the aim of this study was to optimize the acid hydrolysis of sisal bagasse to obtain hydrolyzed liquor rich in xylose and arabinose for a future development process in a biorefining context. Thermal analysis was held for bagasse characterization, and sugars and fermentation inhibitors (acetic acid, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural) in the prehydrolyzed liquor. The 23 + 3 factorial experimental design was applied with a total of 11 experiments to investigate the influence of variables temperature, bagasse/acid diluted and acid concentration to evaluate the release of pentoses (xylose and arabinose) and hexose (glucose) in the prehydrolyzed liquor, fixing the reaction time in 1 h. The liquor from the acid hydrolysis should operate under conditions at levels −1 (110 oC, 1,5% and 1:12), obtaining pentose yields (xylose and arabinose), which are the best conditions indicated in planning with 34.39% conversion. It was observed that acid treatment liquor is very effective in providing high-susceptibility substrates for arabitol and xylitol production.

Production of cellulose-degrading enzyme on sisal and other agro-industrial residues using a new Brazilian actinobacteria strain Streptomyces sp. SLBA-08

Several types of lignocellulosic raw materials including wheat straw, sisal bagasse and sugarcane bagasse have different contents of cellulosic components. In our studies, aimed at isolating cellulose-degrading actinobacteria from Brazilian soils, a promising strain was selected and identified as Streptomyces sp. SLBA-08. This strain was tested for cellulase production under submerged fermentation in a mineral medium using different carbon sources (sisal bagasse, sugarcane bagasse and straw), as well as ammonium sulphate in different concentrations as nitrogen source. The results showed that medium containing 2.4% (w/v) sisal bagasse and 0.3% (w/v) ammonium sulphate resulted in the highest production of carboxymethylcellulase (1.11 U mL-1), after 48 hours. The pH and temperature profile showed optimal activity at pH 6.0 and 50 °C. As for thermostability, carboxymethylcellulases were tolerant at 50 °C, retaining 70% of the maximal activity even after 2h of incubation. The results obtained indicate that Streptomyces sp. SLBA-08 was capable of producing CMCase using lignocellulosic residues, especially sisal bagasse.

Resol-vegetable fibers composites

Vegetable fibers like cotton, sisal, and sugar cane bagasse have been used as reinforcement in a polymeric matrix. Because of its low cost and affinity with lignocellulosic fibers, a phenol-formaldehyde resin —resol— was selected as the matrix. Composites were prepared by compression molding. The influence of fiber volume fraction-Vf-in flexural properties and density of composites has been studied. Cotton and sugar cane bagasse composites present a Vf value at which flexural strength and modulus are maxima. However, sisal composites show a continuous rise in flexural strength and modulus as fiber volume fraction increases, up to 76%, which is the highest concentration studied. Composites made with raw cotton show the highest values of strength and stiffness. The actual density of composites is always lower than theoretical density, due to the presence of voids. Scanning Electron Microscopy reveals a good adhesion between fiber and matrix in the composites. In addition, the flexural properties were analyzed with an efficiency criterion, which relates strength and stiffness with density, and the values obtained were compared with those corresponding to typical structural materials. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 1832–1840, 2000