XRF-based analytical methods for supporting sustainability in sugarcane biorefineries

Author(s)

Speranca, Marco Aurelio ^[1] ; Nascimento, Paloma Andrade Martins ^[1] ; Olivieri, Alejandro Cesar ^[2] ; Pereira, Fabiola Manhas Verbi ^{[3, 1]}

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ, Bioenergy Res Inst, Inst Chem, Grp Alternat Analyt Approaches, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Nacl Rosario, Inst Quim Rosario, Fac Ciencias Bioquim & Farmaceut, Dept Quim Analit, Rosario - Argentina

^[3] Natl Inst Alternat Technol Detect Toxicol Assessm, BR-14800060 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR; DEC 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

There is a clear need for analytical methods able to evaluate impurities in sugarcane biorefineries. Impurities that may occur during sugar and ethanol production which involves a high content of starch, fructose, dextran and minerals. Another type of impurity comes from solid materials such as soil and the green or dry/brown leaves of the sugarcane plant. This study focused on the mineral content, which causes an increase in both cost and time, a loss of quality and a negative environmental impact, and may also hinder the crystallization process. The presently developed analytical methods demonstrate the possibility of using X-ray fluorescence-based techniques, even for complex samples like sugarcane juices. The exploratory analysis evidenced that X-ray fluorescence techniques can discriminate the sugarcane juices in different clarification stages. This report developed an analytical method by building up multivariate models based on partial least-squares regression. These models showed promising results in estimating the contents of Mg, P, S, K, Ca and Fe for all of the first seven clarification stages. For most elements, the relative prediction errors were <14%, with coefficients of determination >0.9083. The main achievement was the development of sustainable analytical methods to monitor mineral content in extracted juices from sugarcane during the clarification stages with reduced sample volume and fewer chemicals. (c) 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd (AU)

• 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: 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: 19/07913-8 - Multiway analytical strategies for solid impurities determination in raw sugarcane and related products
• Grantee: Fabiola Manhas Verbi Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• 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