Impurity in sugarcane juice as mineral content: A prospect for analysis using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and chemometrics

Author(s)

Speranca, Marco Aurelio ^[1] ; Nascimento, Paloma Andrade Martins ^[1] ; Pereira, Fabiola Manhas Verbi ^{[2, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Grp Alternat Analyt Approaches GAAA, Bioenergy Res Inst IPBEN, Inst Chem, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[2] Natl Inst Alternat Technol Detect Toxicol Assessm, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Microchemical Journal; v. 164, MAY 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

The juice extracted from sugarcane passes through several clarification stages before either sugar or ethanol production. These stages involve chemical addition to purify and clarify the juice, mainly when it is destined for sugar production. The addition of these chemicals can negatively impact the environment, causing soil and water contaminations, as main effects amidst others. Hence, these chemicals, products, and subproducts formed during the clarification stages, which become mineral impurity on the extracted juice, must be assessed. The key idea is the better control of the industrial production of these commodities ? sugar and ethanol. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) presents itself as a high-analytical-frequency technique, with minimal sample preparation, without adding toxic chemicals in most cases. The results shown here is an initial exploratory study of the ability of partial least squares (PLS) to model EDXRF data for the estimation of Ca, Fe and K in sugarcane juices at different clarification stages. At first glance, this method may guide the proper use of chemical reagents towards the stages of sugarcane juice clarification for Ca (in four stages), Fe, and K (in seven stages) to reduce the environmental impact. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50945-4 - INCT 2014: National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactivies
• Grantee: Maria Valnice Boldrin
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/01102-8 - Multi-user equipament approved in grant 2018/18212-8: X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer
• Grantee: Fabiola Manhas Verbi Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 18/18212-8 - Development of chemometric models for determination of solid impurities in raw sugarcane using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence
• Grantee: Fabiola Manhas Verbi Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants