Semi-quantitative determination of ash element content for freeze-dried, defatted, sulfated and pyrolysed biomass of Scenedesmus sp.

Autor(es)

Sotana de Souza, Rafael Augusto ^[1] ; Prado Saldanha-Correa, Flavia Marisa ^[2] ; Gallego, Antonio Garrido ^[1] ; Pereira Neto, Ana Maria ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Engn Modelagem & Ciencia Sociais Aplicadas, Ave Estados 5001, BR-09210580 Santo Andre, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, Praca Oceanog 191, BR-05508120 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS; v. 13, n. 1 APR 1 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Background Energy demand by mankind has become one of the most important aspects of our society. A promising technology that seeks to provide part of the energy demand and to obtain high-value products is the thermochemical conversion of microalgae biomass. Inorganic species presented in microalgae biomass may act as catalysts for thermochemical reactions and are responsible for notorious ash-related issues during thermochemical decomposition. Results In this study, the freeze-dried biomass of Scenedesmus sp. was used to evaluate the lipid extraction methodology regarding a sonication bath as pretreatment technique for cell disruption followed by vortex mixing and n-hexane as solvent. It is also presented the lipid and amino acid profiles for Scenedesmus sp. The freeze-dried biomass was pyrolysed through a TGA (thermogravimetric analysis), with heating rates of 20 degrees C/min, from 100 to 650 degrees C. The ash and sulfated ash contents were accurately determined by combustion of biomass in a muffle furnace. The element component of ashes of the freeze-dried, defatted, pyrolysed and sulfated biomasses was determined by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) fitted with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The lipid content obtained for Scenedesmus sp. dry biomass was 16.72% (+/- 0.03). The content of the sulfated ash obtained was 17.81 +/- 0.15%. The SEM-EDS technique identified different mineral compounds in ashes, allowing to quantify Mg, P, S, K, Ca, Fe, Co and Br, as well as oxides. Conclusion The results suggest a possible strategy to evaluate in a semi-quantitative manner the ash composition of freeze-dryed, defatted, sulfated and pyrolysed biomass of Scenedesmus sp. and its feasibility in using Scenedesmus sp. biomass in different thermochemical conversion strategies to achieve processes with positive energy ratio, representing potential use both environmental and energetically. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 10/50187-1 - Caracterização e produção sustentável de biomassa fitoplanctônica marinha do estado de São Paulo
• Beneficiário: Sônia Maria Flores Gianesella
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 11/51902-9 - Simulação da biorrefinaria de cana-de-açúcar de 1ª. geração na plataforma EMSO
• Beneficiário: Antonio Maria Francisco Luiz Jose Bonomi
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOEN - Temático