Evaluation of biosolvents in the extraction process of the sugar cane wax

• Grant number: 15/25384-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2016
• End date: March 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Patricia Fazzio Martins Martinez
• Grantee: Patricia Fazzio Martins Martinez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Maria Regina Wolf Maciel

Abstract

This proposal aims to study the use of biosolventes to perform the extraction of wax from sugar cane. The sugar cane wax is mainly composed of fatty alcohols and long chain esters that can be used in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals due to its lowering cholesterol properties, antioxidants and antiplatelet. The octacosanol, for example, which accounts for over 60% of fatty alcohols from sugar cane wax is used in several commercially available dietary supplements in the United States. Unfortunately, in Brazil, there is no production and marketing of this wax. The extraction of lipid materials, such as waxes, commonly is performed using hexane, that is a fraction of the paraffinic oil, as solvent extractor. However, the use of hexane is linked to the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), flammability, risk of explosion, toxicity and air pollution. Concerns to ensure sustainable development of mankind has led to substitution of toxic solvents by solvents derived from renewable sources, less toxic, and biodegradable. Therefore, this work proposes to study the extraction of wax from sugar cane from agro-industrial by-products (filter mud and bark cane), generated both during the production of sugar and alcohol, as in the cane preparation for production of sugarcane juice, using terpenic biosolventes (limonene and pinene). With the development of this project is intended to provide a more noble use for these products, which are currently used as fertilizer in the fields of culture, allow to obtain products with higher added value, develop a cleaner and environmentally friendly process for extraction, and promote the full use of these products. (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)

OLIVEIRA, RENATA M. A.; HENRIQUES, JULCELLY D. O.; SARTORATTO, ADILSON; MACIEL, MARIA R. W.; MARTINEZ, PATRICIA F. M.. Evaluation of Limonene in sugarcane wax extraction. SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY, v. 27, p. 11-pg., 2022-03-07. (15/05059-9, 15/25384-1)