Development of analytical methodologies and organosolv delignification processes applied to bagasse and straw from sugarcane

• Grant number: 07/51755-0
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation (PITE)
• Start date: September 01, 2009
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Agreement: Oxiteno
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Aprigio da Silva Curvelo
• Grantee: Antonio Aprigio da Silva Curvelo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Company: Oxiteno S/A Indústria e Comércio
• City: São Carlos

Abstract

The proposals in this project were formulated based on scientific output and experience accumulated over 20 years dedicated to the study of characterization and production of cellulose and lignin derivatives from lignocellulosic materials, with special attention to the bagasse obtained from sugarcane processing. The proposed project is focused on two main aspects: the study of lignin's solvency through delignification reactions and the development of analytical methodology for the characterization of the main components of lignocellulosic materials, particularly applied to bagasse and straw from cane sugar. The delignification processes will be investigated as pre-treatment step for polysaccharide's hydrolysis with special attention to the production of sugars from cellulose and also to recovery of lignin present in sugarcane bagasse for further industrial/commercial utilization. Lignin's solvency will be studied using three basic processes: conventional (aqueous solutions), organosolv and organosolv assisted by supercritical fluids. As a result of these procedures, the cellulosic pulps will be employed for the production of glucose by means of acid hydrolysis of cellulose. The technique that uses fluids in the supercritical state may allow the hydrolysis of sugar without the prior separation of the lignin present in the raw materials (straw and bagasse from sugarcane). The traditional methods for the characterization of lignocellulosic materials were developed and optimized for wood and wood derivatives (pulp and paper). Due to the different characteristics of grasses and agricultural wastes (especially from crushed cane sugar industry) the modifications of existing methods and/or development of new analytical methodologies for the chemical characterization of sugarcane bagasse is of fundamental importance for both academic studies and industrial applications. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ALVES GURGEL, LEANDRO VINICIUS; BORGES PIMENTA, MARIA TERESA; DA SILVA CURVELO, ANTONIO APRIGIO. Ethanol-water organosolv delignification of liquid hot water (LHW) pretreated sugarcane bagasse enhanced by high-pressure carbon dioxide (HP-CO2). INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 94, p. 942-950, DEC 30 2016. (07/51755-0)

ALVES GURGEL, LEANDRO VINICIUS; BORGES PIMENTA, MARIA TERESA; DA SILVA CURVELO, ANTONIO APRIGIO. Enhancing liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse by high pressure carbon dioxide (HP-CO2). INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 57, p. 141-149, JUN 2014. (07/51755-0)