Sugarcane Biomass Research Articles

Utilization of bagasse as a soil amendment in sugarcane production on mineral soils in Florida

A 4-year study tested the feasibility of using bagasse as a soil amendment in sugarcane production on a commercial field with mineral soil in Florida. The experiment was established as a completely randomized design trial with three rates of fresh bagasse applications: approximately 5 cm of bagasse, 10 cm of bagasse, and 10 cm of bagasse + nitrogen (N), which are equivalent to 85 t ha–1, 170 t ha–1, and 170 t ha–1 + 336 kg ha–1 ammonium nitrate, respectively. A control (no bagasse and no N added) was also included. As each treatment and the control had three replicates, there were 12 plots (6.5 ha each in size) totaling over 77 ha. The high pH of the soils is a result of years of mixing underlying limestone (calcium carbonate) bedrock with the topsoil. Overall results indicate that bagasse application positively affected the accumulation of soil organic matter during a short-term period, resulting in higher water-holding capacity and lower bulk density. The high rate of bagasse application had a positive effect on N accumulation, extractable phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents during the short term. One single application of bagasse significantly increased the first-year sugarcane biomass and sugar yield by approximately 23%. An overall higher application rate of bagasse (10 cm) was recommended as it showed significantly positive effects on soil health indicators and had a longer effect on increasing sugarcane biomass and sugar yield. There is potential to incorporate bagasse into commercial sugarcane production grown on mineral soils in Florida.

Sources and Magnitude of Heavy Metals in Sugarcane Plantation Soils with Different Agricultural Practices and Their Implications on Sustainable Waste-to-Foods Strategy in the Sugar–Ethanol Industry

Driven by Thailand’s Bio-Circular Green Economy strategy, this study explores industrial waste utilization as a solution to mitigate the impacts of climate change and economic insecurity. This study involved interviews with farmers and field sampling across 131 sugarcane plantations, primarily in four districts in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand. The investigation aimed to assess heavy metal levels (As, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Cd, Hg) in the plantation soils and their accumulations in soils and biomass under various agricultural practices, including the uses of filter cake and vinasse (industrial wastes from sugar–ethanol industries). Spatial analysis showed that As often exceeded national soil-quality standards for agriculture (25 mg kg−1). The Cd, As, and Zn tended to accumulate at a high level in most soils, whereas Pb accumulated locally. Factors such as clay content, soil alkalinity (for As and Mn), soil organic matters (As, Mn, and Hg), and no/minimum tillage (Zn and Cd) promoted the metal accumulation. Factor analysis showed that natural geochemical processes govern the spatial variations of the metals. The application of filter cake led to soils with elevated Cr, Fe, As, Cd, and Mn content and a clayey organic-rich composition, while the vinasse resulted in soils with higher levels of Zn, Cu, Fe, and clayey saline. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) revealed that sugarcane generally accumulated Hg (BCF ~2.32−35.72), whereas Cu (2.67) and As (1.04) tended to accumulate in sandy-soil farmlands. The waste utilization, however, neither contributed significantly to the concern levels of soil metals nor enhanced the bioconcentration of the soil metals into the sugarcane biomass. Utilizing the waste as fertilizer could benefit cane yield, but further studies should focus on proper fertilization rates and food safety.

Enzymatic potential of endophytic fungi: xylanase production by Colletotrichum boninense from sugarcane biomass.

Endophytic fungi constitute a major part of the still unexplored fungal diversity and have gained interest as new biological sources of natural active compounds, including enzymes. Endophytic fungi were isolated from soybean leaves and initially screened on agar plates for the production of CMCase (carboxymethylcellulase), xylanase, amylase and protease. The highest Enzymatic Indexes (IE) were verified for xylanase (2.14 and 1.31) with the fungi M6-A6P5F2 and M12-A5P3F1.2 and CMCase (1.92 and 1.62) with the fungi M13-A9P2F1 and M12-A5P3F1.2, respectively. The production of xylanase and CMCase by the selected fungi was evaluated in submerged cultivation using beechwood xylan and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), as well as sugarcane straw and bagasse in different ratios as carbon sources. Both types of lignocellulosic biomass proved to be good inducers of enzymatic activity. The best xylanase producer among the isolates was identified as Colletotrichum boninense. With this fungus, the highest xylanase activity was obtained with a sugarcane straw-bagasse mixture in a 50:50 ratio (383.63 U mL-1), a result superior to that obtained with the use of beechwood xylan (296.65 U mL-1). Regardingthe kinetic behavior of the crude xylanase, there was found optimal pH of 5.0 and optimal temperatures of 50°C and 60°C. At 40°C and 50°C, xylanase retained 87% and 76% of its initial catalytic activity, respectively. These results bring new perspectives on bioprospecting endophytic fungi for the production of enzymes, mainly xylanase, as well as the exploitation of agro-industrial by-products, such as sugarcane straw and bagasse.

Integration of ultrasonic and optical sensing systems to assess sugarcane biomass and N-uptake

Integration of ultrasonic and optical sensing systems to assess sugarcane biomass and N-uptake

Evaluation of Consolidated Bioprocessing of Sugarcane Biomass by a Multiple Hydrolytic Enzyme Producer Saccharomyces Yeast

Evaluation of Consolidated Bioprocessing of Sugarcane Biomass by a Multiple Hydrolytic Enzyme Producer Saccharomyces Yeast

Bioprocess development for levulinic acid production using sugarcane biomass

Developing technologies for converting lignocellulosic biomass to products such as energy, fuels, and value-added chemicals is an important step in making biorefineries a feasible alternative to the current oil-based productive system. In this study, the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass composed of a mixture of bagasse and sugarcane straw into a cellulose pulp and a sulfonated carbonaceous solid catalyst synthesized from lignin fraction were investigated, as well as the use of this solid acid catalyst to convert cellulose to levulinic acid, an important chemical platform. To overcome this challenge, firstly, the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass was optimized. Then, tests were carried out to find the best condition for isolation of the soluble lignin from black liquor produced in the optimal condition of delignification. The lignin precipitate was subjected to carbonization tests followed by functionalization tests with concentrated sulfuric acid to synthesize the catalyst. This catalyst was then used to convert cellulose into levulinic acid (LA). The experimental design for cellulose recovery and lignin removal showed that under relatively mild reaction conditions of 110 °C, 117 min, and a solid/NaOH (4.4% w/v) ratio of 1:20, more than 91% of the lignin was dissolved into the black liquor, recovering a solid with a cellulose content higher than 78%. Lignin was fully recovered in the form of precipitate by simply reducing the pH of the black liquor to 3 (under this condition 11 g of precipitate were recovered per liter of liquor). Having the recovered lignin, it was then possible to synthesize a solid carbonaceous catalyst with a total acid site density of 1.48 mmol/g which was able to convert up to 17.11% of the cellulose and obtain yields of up to 38.55% of levulinic acid when a catalyst/cellulose ratio of only 8:10 (w/w) was used. Overall, the future of LA production using carbonaceous acid catalysts looks promising. As research in this area continues, there is the potential to further improve the production process and make it more cost-effective and sustainable. This could lead to wider adoption of this technology and increased use of levulinic acid in various industrial applications, including as a platform chemical to produce a range of chemicals and materials.

Rapid evaluation of leaf photosynthesis using a closed-chamber system in a C4 plant, sugarcane

ABSTRACT To accelerate research on improving sugarcane biomass production, a rapid phenotyping method for individual leaf photosynthetic rates is required. Recently, a closed-type measurement system, which is faster, lighter, and less expensive than conventional open-type systems, has been developed and utilized for C3 crops. For future utilization of the system in phenotyping photosynthetic rates in sugarcane, which exhibits higher photosynthetic rate than C3 crops, diurnal changes and genotypic differences were measured simultaneously using an open-type and a closed-type system to verify the accuracy of the measurements in assessing environmental responses and genetic variation. As the relative root-mean-square error, a regression accuracy between the measurements with two systems, was <20% when evaluating diurnal changes and genotypic differences, closed system accurately evaluated photosynthetic rates in multiple samples. Overall, the measured values with the closed system tended to be higher than those with the open system, especially in high values above 30 µmol m−2 s−1. The reason for this was presumably not leaf morphology, such as stomatal distribution, but a fundamental difference in the measurement systems (steady-state values for the open system and instantaneous values for the closed system). The open system required 5–7 min to measure a single record, whereas the closed system could measure at <40 s per record. Although it would be desirable to develop a regression equation using measurements involving the open system for each cultivar to examine physiological response in detail, we conclude that the closed system has greater potential for use in phenotyping sugarcane photosynthesis.

Inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense as a strategy to enhance sugarcane biomass production and bioenergy potential

Azospirillum inoculation has gained wide prominence as a strategy for fostering both increased sustainability and enhanced agricultural productivity. Plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Azospirillum improve resource use by plants, but proper management of Azospirillum inoculant application in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is key to achieving crop yield potential and improving product quality and economic return for farmers. The present study evaluated the application of different doses of A. brasilense inoculant [0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 × 1010 colony forming units (CFU) ha−1] to sugarcane at the setts/sprouting and tillering stages in two crop seasons at two sites under field conditions. The experiment comprised plant cane and first ratoon at Site A and first and second ratoons at Site B. No effects of inoculation on crop nutrition or the technological quality of the raw material were observed. However, the effects of the inoculation on the biometric parameters and yield of sugarcane varied with the dose. The two highest A. brasilense doses (15 and 20 × 1010 CFU ha−1) increased the stalk population and stalk yield of both plant cane and ratoon sugarcane by approximately 2 stalks m−1 and 20 Mg ha−1, respectively. In addition, the two highest inoculation doses promoted increases in sugar and energy production that were consistent with the increase in stalk population and stalk yield. No clear pattern of the effects of inoculant application time on sugarcane was observed. Overall, A. brasilense inoculation promoted sugarcane productivity when applied at high inoculation doses at the sprouting and tillering stages and has the potential to maximize agronomic and economic benefits to the sugarcane sector.

New approaches to the effects of Si on sugarcane ratoon under irrigation in Quartzipsamments, Eutrophic Red Oxisol, and Dystrophic Red Oxisol

BackgroundC:N:P homeostasis in plants guarantees optimal levels of these nutrients in plant metabolism. H However, one of the causes to the effects of deficit irrigation is the loss of C:N:P homeostasis in leaves and stems that causes reduction in the growth of sugarcane. Being able to measure the impact of water deficit on C:N:P homeostasis in plants from the stoichiometric ratios of the concentrations of these nutrients in leaves and stems. This loss causes a decrease in nutritional efficiency, but can be mitigated with the use of silicon. Silicon favors the homeostasis of these nutrients and crop productivity. The magnitude of this benefit depends on the absorption of Si by the plant and Si availability in the soil, which varies with the type of soil used. Thus, this study aims to evaluate whether the application of Si via fertigation is efficient in increasing the absorption of Si and whether it is capable of modifying the homeostatic balance of C:N:P of the plant, causing an increase in nutritional efficiency and consequently in the production of biomass in leaves and stems of sugarcane ratoon cultivated with deficient and adequate irrigations in different tropical soils.ResultsWater deficit caused biological losses in concentrations and accumulation of C, N, and P, and reduced the nutrient use efficiency and biomass production of sugarcane plants cultivated in three tropical soils due to disturbances in the stoichiometric homeostasis of C:N:P. The application of Si increased the concentration and accumulation of Si, C, N, and P and their use efficiency and reduced the biological damage caused by water deficit due to the modification of homeostatic balance of C:N:P by ensuring sustainability of the production of sugarcane biomass in tropical soils. However, the intensity of attenuation of such deleterious effects stood out in plants cultivated in Eutrophic Red Oxisols. Si contributed biologically by improving the performance of sugarcane ratoon with an adequate irrigation due to the optimization of stoichiometric ratios of C:N:P; increased the accumulation and the use efficiency of C, N, and P, and promoted production gains in biomass of sugarcane in three tropical soils.ConclusionOur study shows that fertigation with Si can mitigate the deleterious effects of deficient irrigation or potentiate the beneficial effects using an adequate irrigation system due to the induction of a new stoichiometric homeostasis of C:N:P, which in turn improves the nutritional efficiency of sugarcane cultivated in tropical soils.

EVALUATING THE BIO-ENERGY POTENTIAL OF SUGARCANE BIOMASS BRIQUETTES

The study was conducted to assess the conversion potentiality of sugarcane bio-mass into bioenergy through briquetting. Samples of sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane trash and a 50:50 mixture of sugarcane bagasse and trash were used to produce briquettes. An automated briquetting press with a capacity of 150-200 kg/hr was employed to produce cylindrical briquettes of 100 mm length. The quality parameters of briquettes such as moisture content, bulk density, compressive strength, shatter resistance, resistance to water penetration,volatile matter, fixed carbon, and calorific value were determined. Among the various briquettes investigated, briquettes made of bagasse have low ash content (5.32%), high shatter resistance (99.4%), and a high calorific value (15.15 MJ/kg), all of which are desirable characteristics for fuel combustion. However, the briquettes produced from bagasse-trash mixture were statistically on par with the briquettes of bagasse alone. Thus, briquettes produced from bagasse alone and bagasse-trash combination can be recommended for use in boilers in the food processing sector as an eco-friendly biofuel, which in turn helps in curbing environmental pollution. Further, there is a scope for entrepreneurship development by converting sugarcane biomass to briquettes, which would create employment for the rural youth.

Burning of sugarcane biomass and hospitalizations of children and older adults for respiratory problems in Pernambuco State, Brazil

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between hospitalizations for respiratory problems and the regular burning of sugarcane in Pernambuco State, Brazil. This is an ecological time series study corresponding to the period from 2008 to 2018. The rates of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in children aged under 5 years and in adults older than 60 years in sugarcane-producing and non-producing municipalities were compared using nonparametric Mann-Whitney statistical analysis. Together, we observed the monthly distribution of the hot spots occurrences in the case and control municipalities and applied Pearson's correlation to analyze the association between both variables. For both age groups, hospitalization rates are higher in sugarcane-producing municipalities, with a statistically significant difference p < 0.005. The rate of hospitalization in older adults is 28% higher in the case municipalities, and is even higher in children aged under 5 years whose ratio of the medians is 40%. However, the seasonal behavior of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases differs from that observed in the monthly distribution of hot spots, without statistically significant correlation. These findings suggest a possible association with chronic exposure to particulates emitted by biomass burning, compromising the health of vulnerable groups, and endorse the need to replace fires in the monoculture of sugarcane and to structure public policies to protect human and environmental health.

Analysis of the performance and products in the torrefaction of sugarcane bagasse with different particle sizes

The torrefaction of sugarcane bagasse particles was evaluated using standard thermogravimetric equipment (TGA) and in a torrefaction reactor explicitly designed for this work. Different particle sizes (fine, large, and unground bagasse) were torrefied to examine any potential effect of particle type and size on the devolatilization process. The custom-designed reactor allowed measurement of the mass and temperature of the particle and the condensable volatiles captured through a condensation unit held at −12 °C during torrefaction. Final products of the process (liquids, solids, and gases) were measured and characterized to understand and analyze the processes occurring in the sugarcane biomass during torrefaction. A two-step kinetic model was fitted to experimental data on fine particles to get the kinetic parameters. A particle model was developed to understand the dynamics of biomass heating and conversion under isothermal conditions. Results of tests for large particles show an effect of particle size on the process of decomposition of the biomass. The large unground biomass showed the lowest mass loss among evaluated particles. The torrefaction process resulted in significant thermal impact for fine particles, having the highest center temperatures, devolatilization, and changes in the O-H group with FTIR tests.

Sugarcane Biomass as a Source of Biofuel for Internal Combustion Engines (Ethanol and Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol): A Review of Economic Challenges

The objective of this review is to provide a deep overview of liquid biofuels produced from sugarcane bagasse and to address the economic challenges of an ethanol and acetone-butanol-ethanol blend in commercial processes. The chemistry of sugarcane bagasse is presented. Pretreatment technologies such as physical, chemical pretreatment, biological, and combination pretreatments used in the fermentation process are also provided and summarised. Different types of anaerobic bacteria Clostridia (yeast) are discussed to identify the ingredient best suited for sugarcane bagasse, which can assist the industry in commercializing ethanol and acetone-butanol-ethanol biofuel from biomass sugarcane. The use of an acetone-butanol-ethanol mixture and ethanol blend in internal combustion engines is also discussed. The literature then supports the proposal of the best operating conditions for fermentation to enhance ethanol and acetone-butanol-ethanol plant efficiency in the sugar waste industry and its application in internal combustion engines.

Green synthesis of platinum nanoparticles as a robust electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction: Metabolite profiling and antioxidant evaluation

A novel, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method of synthesising biogenic platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) was employed using biomass sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) bagasse extract (SBE) as the reducing agent. Pt NPs derived from this biosynthesis route were thoroughly characterised by High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Due to the involvement of bio-reductive metabolites during biosynthesis, their metabolite profiles were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and in-vitro antioxidant activities. Eleven major metabolite compounds from the SBE classified as phenol, pyrazole, furan, pyran, epoxide, long-chain fatty acid, sterol glycoside, and mixed oxygenated compounds may be responsible for the bio-reduction process. The biogenic Pt NPs endowed a high antioxidant property that can scavenge DPPH free radicals by 81.9%, with an inhibitory effect (IC50) of 37.60 μg/mL and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) of 57.58 μmol FeSO4/g. Furthermore, the biogenic Pt NPs deliver superior electrocatalytic activity in methanol oxidation reactions with tunable Pt ions concentration, PtCl62−, from 0.5 to 1.75 mM, with a maximum electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of 93.41 m2 g−1 and a mass activity/specific activity of 581.50 mA mg−1/1.25 mA cm−2Pt, which is 3.67 times higher than that of commercial Pt black (158.12 mA mg−1). This study demonstrates that green chemical reduction using plant extracts is a viable method for producing biogenic Pt NPs for energy conversion and health applications, owing to its improved electrocatalytic activity and profound antioxidant properties.

Bacillus velezensis Associated with Organomineral Fertilizer and Reduced Phosphate Doses Improves Soil Microbial—Chemical Properties and Biomass of Sugarcane

Appropriately using phosphorus (P) for the fertilization of sugarcane is critical to achieving high productivity because it is one of the most limiting nutrients in agricultural cropping systems. Thus, the objective of this research was to evaluate the morphological, biochemical, and yield responses of sugarcane, and the soil microbial–chemical properties, under the use of organomineral fertilizer (OF) associated or not with Bacillus velezensis strain UFV 3918 (B) combined with mono ammonium phosphate (MAP) doses. The experimental design used was completely randomized, consisting of eight treatments [Control (3/3 MAP); OF (without MAP); OF + 1/3 MAP; OF + 2/3 MAP; OF + 3/3 MAP; B + OF + 1/3 MAP; B + OF + 2/3 MAP; B + OF + 3/3 MAP] and four replicates. B + OF + 1/3 MAP provided increases in accumulated soil basal respiration (11.9%), carbon of microbial biomass (35.9%), fluorescein diacetate (12.7%), arylsulfatase (25.5%), and acid phosphatase (10.1%) activity compared to the control, which implied in higher shoot and total biomass. These results present a potential strategy for sugarcane fertilization, using bacteria in combination with OF to improve P nutrition and growth in sugarcane with reduced economic and environmental impact.

Sugarcane Biomass Prediction with Multi-Mode Remote Sensing Data Using Deep Archetypal Analysis and Integrated Learning

The use of multi-mode remote sensing data for biomass prediction is of potential value to aid planting management and yield maximization. In this study, an advanced biomass estimation approach for sugarcane fields is proposed based on multi-source remote sensing data. Since feature interpretability in agricultural data mining is significant, a feature extraction method of deep archetypal analysis (DAA) that has good model interpretability is introduced and aided by principal component analysis (PCA) for feature mining from the multi-mode multispectral and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) remote sensing data pertaining to sugarcane. In addition, an integrated regression model integrating random forest regression, support vector regression, K-nearest neighbor regression and deep network regression is developed after feature extraction by DAA to precisely predict biomass of sugarcane. In this study, the biomass prediction performance achieved using the proposed integrated learning approach is found to be predominantly better than that achieved by using conventional linear methods in all the time periods of plant growth. Of more significance, according to model interpretability of DAA, only a small set of informative features maintaining their physical meanings (four informative spectral indices and four key LiDAR metrics) can be extracted which eliminates the redundancy of multi-mode data and plays a vital role in accurate biomass prediction. Therefore, the findings in this study provide hands-on experience to planters with indications of the key or informative spectral or LiDAR metrics relevant to the biomass to adjust the corresponding planting management design.

Evaluating the impact of biochar on biomass and nitrogen use efficiency of sugarcane using 15N tracer method

N is an essential nutrient for sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Hybribds) growth. Excess chemical nitrogen fertilizer applied still a serious problem of China sugarcane plant. Biochar has shown promise in improving crop yield and N use efficiency (NEU).However its impact on sugarcane is not well-studied. To investigate how biochar impacts on sugarcane growth and nitrogen N use efficiency (NUE), a glasshouse pot experiment was conducted using the 15N tracer method. Two cultivars, GT11 and B8, were chosen as test objects and were planted under low N(120 kg N hm-2) and high N(600 kg N hm-2)condition, respectively. The effects of low and high biochar application rates (10 t hm-2 and 20 t hm-2) on growth, nitrogen uptake, accumulation and distribution as well as NUE in GT11 and B8 were studied. Results showed that sugarcane biomass was not significantly affected by biochar application. N uptake by GT11 was significantly increased 23.91% - 45.42% by C20 and N120 condition at tillering stage and elongation stage. While N uptake by B8 showed a significant response to B10 and B20 with an increase of 27.27% and 30.40% at tillering stage,respectively. Biochar application led to 0.28% - 23.75% and 1.08% - 30.07% increase in NUE of GT11 and B8,respectively. The effect of biochar application of N from fertilizer(FF) was significant,however only C20 treatment shown remarkable response when under low N treatment. Our study suggest that the effects of biochar on sugarcane depend on varieties and the applied rate of biochar and N fertilizer.Biochar application with inorganic N could improve N uptake and N use of sugarcane.

Water depths and nitrogen rates on sugarcane growth and dry biomass accumulation

Irrigation and soil fertilization management are essential agricultural practices that improve the growth and development of sugarcane plants and, consequently, increase their production capacity, which is important for sugar and alcohol productions. In this context, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of water depths and nitrogen rates on the growth and dry biomass accumulation of sugarcane plants. The treatments consisted in four water depths (1,498; 1,614; 1,739; and 1,854 mm), five nitrogen rates (0; 20; 40; 80; and 120 kg ha-1) and five evaluation times. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with a split-split-plot arrangement and four replications, including the factors water depths, nitrogen rates, and days after planting. The dry biomasses of the plant pointer, leaves and culms, culm diameter, plant height, and number of plants were analyzed. The application of nitrogen increased the sugarcane biomass, mainly the pointer (with leaves) and dry culm biomass, and the number of plants. The highest dry culm biomass accumulation and dry leaf biomass were found at the end of the crop cycle for the treatment with the application of nitrogen rates of 80 and 120 kg ha-1. The increases in water depths applied increased the number of plants per linear meter, but the culm and dry leaf biomass did not happen.

Brazilian sugar cane industry – A survey on future improvements in the process energy management

The Brazilian Energy Matrix is characterised by the presence of Renewables, whose participation reached 46.1% in 2019, equivalent to 133.8 Mtoe, of which 18.0% represented the sugarcane biomass share, 12.4% the hydraulic, 8.7% the wood and charcoal, and 7.0% corresponded to other renewables. The sugarcane industry produces sugar, ethanol, and electricity as main products and, considering the total primary energy produced, 52.861 Mtoe comes from sugarcane products (BEN, 2020). Another aspect of this industry is that it is energy self-sufficient, that being so, the energy used in the production process is also produced (from bagasse) in the same process. The aforementioned data show the significance of the sugarcane industry for the country and being this an energy industry, there is no doubt that the energy management holds importance to its industrial process. The present work will address different alternatives to improve the industrial process of sugarcane, aiming at optimising the energy management. Among the proposals to be presented, the following can be mentioned: increasing of electric energy in cogeneration, thermal integration of process streams using the Pinch Point method, second-generation ethanol production, water use in the process, integration with biodiesel production, vinasse disposition aiming at increasing energy production and reducing pollution. The main objective is to identify each proposal's influence on and contribution to the improvement of the performance and efficiency in the production process from sugarcane.

Modeling of sugarcane bagasse conversion to levulinic acid using response surface methodology (RSM), artificial neural networks (ANN), and fuzzy inference system (FIS): A comparative evaluation

Levulinic acid is recognized as a prominent value-added chemical that can be obtained from bioresources and has versatile industrial applications. This work reports bioprocess modeling of levulinic acid synthesis from sugarcane bagasse employing response surface methodology and artificial intelligence techniques, including artificial neural network and fuzzy inference system approaches. The influence of process parameters, namely reaction temperature, concentration of levulinic acid and reaction time on the production of levulinic acid was investigated. The levulinic acid production values predicted by empirical models were compared with experimentally acquired data. The predictive capability of various models was appraised by computing statistical indices. The artificial neural network model was determined to be the best predictive model with the highest coefficient of determination value of 0.96 and the lowest error values (root mean square error = 0.272, mean absolute error = 0.072 and mean absolute percentage deviation = 2 %). The feedforward back propagation network with 3–10-1 architecture was employed to model the production of levulinic acid. The process optimization was performed using the desirability function approach. The bagasse, on treatment under optimum conditions, with 1 M sulphuric acid at 190 °C for 15 min yielded 5.40 mg/mL levulinic acid accounting for 77.1 % process efficiency. The utilization of waste biomass sugarcane bagasse would offer a sustainable approach for the production of platform chemical levulinic acid.