Enhancing the biorefinery of chestnut burrs. Part I. Study of the pretreatment with choline chloride urea diluted deep eutectic solvent

Author(s)

Costa-Trigo, Ivan ; Paz, Alicia ; Moran-Aguilar, Maria Guadalupe ; Guerra, Nelson Perez ; Oliveira, Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza ; Dominguez, Jose Manuel

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOMASS & BIOENERGY; v. 173, p. 9-pg., 2023-06-01.

Abstract

Chestnut burrs (CB) are agro-industrial wastes produced in large amounts during chestnut processing. Despite their high value composition, this type of biomass has been scarcely studied, becoming an important material to be valorized. In this work, a green technology based on the use of diluted choline chloride urea (ChCl:U) deep eutectic solvent (DES) was postulated to deconstruct the lignocellulosic structure. The pretreatment was evaluated using untreated CB and CB previously processed (washed CB or the solid residue obtained after prehydrolysis). Following a biorefinery concept, the samples obtained in this work will be further enzymatically hydrolyzed in Part II to reach fermentable sugars-containing solutions. Several operational parameters such as time (4, 8 and 16 h), temperature (60, 80, 100 and 120 degrees C), and liquid-solid ratio (LSR) (10:1, 15:1 and 20:1) were studied to improve CB deconstruction. Physicochemical transformations were investigated by ATR-FTIR and SEM analysis. The best delignification rate (similar to 40%) was achieved applying the DES pretreatment in untreated CB at 100 degrees C for 16 h and 20:1 (w/w) LSR, being corroborated by physicochemical changes observed by FTIR and SEM. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/25511-1 - Bioprospecting of bacteriocin-producing bacteria: from culture optimization to the application in animal production systems
• Grantee: Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/15138-4 - Brewery waste biorefinery to obtain biologically active substances for prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and for its use as natural food preservatives
• Grantee: Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International